Runway AI: Premiere and DaVinci’s Replacement? Or just another gimmick?

Just kidding—sort of. The truth is, artificial intelligence has reached some fascinating heights, and there’s no escaping it anymore. For many, it’s already a daily work tool, while others don’t even realize they’re using it.

But let’s not waste time on dramatic speeches and get straight to the topic of today’s article—Runway, an AI-powered platform developed by an American company.

If you haven’t heard of Runway AI yet, we’re here to introduce you. And if you’re not living under a rock, let’s find out just how close we are to being replaced by robots.

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What Is Runway AI?

First, the basics. Runway AI is owned by Runway, a U.S.-based company founded in 2018. From the very beginning, its team collaborated with AI researchers. Ever heard of Stable Diffusion? Then you already know a little about the minds behind Runway AI.

Runway AI is designed for video creators and designers, offering tools for both editing and generating videos, images, and animations using neural networks.

Its functionality is quite impressive: you can change backgrounds, apply special effects, and even generate videos with just your voice. Another big plus—no need to download any software. Everything runs online.

This platform has already been tested by many before us. In fact, it’s actively used for content creation and advertising due to its high level of automation. But is Runway AI really as good as it seems?

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What Makes Runway AI Special?

If you’re here, we assume you know at least a little about video editing. Even creating a simple 10-minute video can be incredibly demanding on your computer’s resources. Now, imagine making videos without your usual presets.

This is where Runway AI shines—it doesn’t require a high-end computer. Let’s be honest: the results won’t be 100% perfect, but you won’t be spending hundreds of dollars and countless hours on video production either.

We mentioned earlier that some editing knowledge helps to understand what we are working with here, but Runway AI is so user-friendly that even a total beginner can figure it out. The platform’s interface is intuitive, and the creators have provided tutorials for those who want to dive deeper.

Additionally, you can find inspiration from other creators and even use their work as a foundation for your own projects.

Currently, Runway AI uses Gen-3 Alpha, an advanced video model that delivers more realistic motion, smoother transitions, and faster processing speeds.

No need to insert keywords anymore—Runway AI understands natural prompts. (But if you love using keywords, don’t worry, presets still support them!)

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How Realistic Is Runway AI?

On its own? Not very. If you generate a video from text, the results are decent, and they follow the given prompt. But would we use this in professional advertising or even for social media? Nope.

The generation process is fast, but the AI still struggles with realism. At first glance, the visuals may seem impressive, but the AI doesn’t understand physics or logic—objects may blend together, and movement can feel unnatural.

One of the coolest features—though not directly video-related—is the ability to turn a static image into an animation with a single click. And the results? Surprisingly good. Try it yourself!

Aside from that, Runway AI offers plenty of fun tools—like modifying existing videos with presets or text prompts. However, AI video generation still isn't advanced enough to make you reconsider your career.

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Editor’s Recommendations

How can you get the most out of Runway AI?

If you don’t have access to a powerful computer, this platform can be a great alternative for removing and replacing backgrounds or exporting files without using a lot of resources.

For basic video editing (without AI generation), it’s actually a solid tool—much faster than Premiere and DaVinci, though it lacks some of their advanced features.

So, we definitely recommend trying out this platform. It’s a great assistant for video creators—especially since there aren’t many real competitors yet. But when it comes to AI-generated content, don’t rely on it too much.

We recommend our latest articles on AI in video marketing:

• 7 Examples of AI-Generated Video Ads
• Top 8 AI Video Generation Platforms

Special offer for marketing teams and business owners: create promotional videos with AI — check it out here.

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