Microsoft is adding AI features to Clipchamp to help you make movie magic

Clipchamp, the successor to Windows Movie Maker from Microsoft, gives you the ability to edit videos in a very accessible and less intimidating interface – and now, Microsoft is bringing AI to the app. The video editor already has quite a few great features, and now its feature line-up is set to be boosted with AI-powered editing tools.

I’ve developed something of a panic reflex when I see the words ‘Microsoft’ and ‘AI,’ but I think video editing (rather than video generation) is one area where AI features can be potentially useful. To be clear, that’s not an immediate endorsement, and I don’t feel as enthusiastic about Microsoft doing this with other apps and Windows features.

(Image credit: Microsoft)

‘Noise reduction’ and ‘Remove background’

Microsoft shared details of Clipchamp’s new AI features on its Microsoft 365 Insider blog, including AI-driven noise suppression and background image removal. This post also details how to use these new features in Clipchamp, which will be available to paying premium Clipchamp users and free users, and some preview images of what the new Clipchamp will be capable of.

The new ‘Remove background’ feature will allow you to remove the background of a video or image to isolate the main object within it without having to layer your media first or requiring a green screen. You’ll then be able to use the results in other projects by adding a new background or pasting the clip as a sticker. This Remove background feature can be found in the menu that opens by right-clicking the background part of the image you want removed.

The other major new feature, noise suppression, will help you reduce background noise in your audio recordings and videos and improve their overall sound. You can access Noise Suppression from the Audio tab in Clipchamp’s property panel.

If – like me – you end up forming an opinion on these features, you can tell Microsoft what you think via the ’Submit feedback’ button located in the video editor, or go the Facebook route to tell Microsoft what you’d like to see in Clipchamp.

I’ve not been particularly excited by the ever-expanding mass of Microsoft AI additions we’ve seen so far, but this I will actually give a little more time to. Clipchamp is a pretty good app already, especially if you’re a beginner video editor who wants to dip their toes into content creation. If these AI features are received well, hopefully, Microsoft will have a useful takeaway about what kinds of AI features people would like to try right now.