Top 8 Generative AI Video Tools for 2026: Features, Pros and Cons Compared

AI in Motion Design: A Game-Changer or a Replacement?

AI is transforming the creative industry, and motion design is no exception. With new AI-powered tools emerging rapidly, it can be overwhelming to figure out which ones are actually useful and which might not be the right fit for your needs. Naturally, questions like “Which AI tool is the best?” and “Which one offers the smoothest experience?” come up all the time.

As a motion design agency, we’ve explored various AI tools firsthand. While they don’t replace creativity, they’ve definitely helped us streamline our workflow and save time in the production process. In this article, we’ll break down different AI tools, comparing their strengths and weaknesses based on our own experience.

Before we dive into the comparison, check out the video below! It breaks down AI design tools and showcases real examples of the results from each one. Every single footage in the video was generated using the very AI tools discussed in this article, so you can see exactly what they’re capable of.

Runway

Runway is one of the top AI video tools out there, offering powerful features like text-to-video, image-to-video, and AI-powered editing. Its Act-One motion capture does a solid job of tracking facial expressions, while the Gen-3 Alpha model delivers realistic, consistent results.

While Runway isn’t specifically built for motion graphics, many designers use it for mixed-media projects. Its AI-generated videos can replace stock footage or live-action shoots, which are often paired with animated text and motion graphics. Using AI-generated video also saves a ton of time and resources compared to searching for stock footage or setting up a shoot from scratch. We’ve incorporated it into our workflow as well, thanks to its built-in editing tools that help streamline the entire process.

So, is Runway the best AI tool for motion design?

It depends. While Runway offers some fantastic features, there are a few limitations to keep in mind. If your project requires a more stylized look, the generated video can sometimes appear wonky or unpolished. The lip-sync feature, while functional, often feels a bit off. Additionally, Act-One only captures facial expressions—it doesn’t track body or background movement. Another major downside is that Runway’s video resolution is capped at 720p, which might not cut it for high-quality projects.

Kling AI

If we’re talking strictly about AI video generation, Kling AI offers the best value for the price. Like Runway, Kling’s videos can be used alongside motion graphics for mixed-media content, effectively replacing stock footage or other costly alternatives. Its video quality rivals—or even surpasses—Runway’s, but at a much lower cost. Plus, Kling’s ‘Elements’ feature gives users greater control over AI-generated videos, and its lip-sync capability is the most realistic we’ve seen among generative AI tools.

However, Kling comes with a big trade-off—it’s the slowest AI tools we’ve tested. Generating a video can take 5 to 30 minutes, whereas other tools do it in seconds. It also lacks built-in video editing features, making it less ideal for longer, more complex projects with tight deadlines.

Magic Hour AI

Magic Hour is one of those tools you end up sticking with because it just makes video creation feel easy. You can start from text, an image, or even an existing video, and it still gives you clean results up to 1080p. Plus, it packs in extras like lipsync, face swap, and a bit of image generation, so you can create a variety of content without jumping between different apps. A lot of creators use it to quickly upgrade their visuals without planning another shoot, and some even use it to give their content a fresh art style.

What really makes it shine is how well it works with real footage. The image-to-video feature is super handy if all you have is a single photo. Just upload it, type a prompt, and the tool brings it to life in a few clicks. With models like Seedance, Kling2.5, and Veo3.1 built in, you can turn a simple portrait or product shot into a clean, polished video. And if you want to move fast, you can grab one of the templates and get a solid result without overthinking it.

HeyGen AI

HeyGen AI is a powerful tool for generating AI avatars that can accurately translate videos with perfect lip sync and create videos from text or audio clips. In our experience, it’s one of the best AI avatar generators out there. The lip sync is spot-on, and the facial expressions and body movements feel incredibly natural—with the right settings, the videos can look almost as real as an actual recording. As you can see on the example below.

This creates a huge opportunity for motion designers and businesses. HeyGen can replace parts of the video production process that typically require cameras, lighting, and filming—which often means higher costs and longer timelines. But to get the most engagement and impact, AI avatars work best alongside motion graphics and animated visuals—especially for tech product demos, explainer videos, or any project that benefits from a blend of AI and animation. Whether you’re working in 2D or 3D, HeyGen can be adapted to fit the complexity of your project.

However HeyGen AI come with a bit of trade of, it is the most expensive AI tools we have used. Not only that, the built in setting within the HeyGen itself is not very user friendly. Creating a custom AI agent with your own face or subject requires training for each different shot. And since it only focus on making an AI avatar, the usage we can get from HeyGen AI is very limited.

Hailuo AI

Hailuo AI is another solid option, especially if you’re into animation, in our opinion the generated video in animation style looks better than other generative AI tools. The ability to keep characters consistent across multiple clips is a big win. It is also very easily accessible as they offer free trials.

Unfortunately, if the video you want to create has a lot of dynamic movement, the physics and consistency are not the best. We also noticed occasional AI artifacts that can make certain scenes look unnatural.

Open AI Sora

OpenAI is probably the most well-known AI tool providers out there, and its AI video generator, Sora, in many ways, lives up to expectations. Sora is one of the most cinematic AI video tools available, capable of producing stunning visuals. Its remix and storyboard tools offer a level of customisation that many other platforms lack, making it especially useful if your goal is to create a highly detailed AI-animated video.

However, like ChatGPT, Sora tends to take creative liberties if the prompt is too broad or not specific enough, which means it can take a few tries to get the desired result. Additionally, much like Hailuo, Sora struggles with generating dynamic movement. On top of that, it lacks built-in video editing tools, making it less ideal for creating more complex projects.

Invideo

Another tools that we tried in 2025 is InVideo, specifically version 3. InVideo AI is great when you need fast, scalable videos. If you want to pump out social content, test ideas quickly, or create a first draft without spending hours editing, it does the job well. You type a prompt, pick a style, and it builds a full video with scenes, transitions, and even voiceover. For quick experiments or high-volume content, it’s actually pretty convenient.

But once you step into agency-level work, the limitations start to show. Brand storytelling needs more control than what the tool gives you. The visuals are decent for general use, but they lack the detail, timing, and polish you get from real motion design or animation. And when a client expects something refined, on-brand, and thoughtfully crafted, you can’t rely on a tool that auto-generates scenes based on loose prompts.

That’s why we treat InVideo AI as a supportive tool, not a core part of our production pipeline. It helps with rough drafts, inspiration, or quick content, but it’s not something we would lean on for serious client work. At least not in its current state.

‍

Google Veo 3 and 3.1

Veo 3 focuses on generating single, high-quality cinematic shots with an 8-second limit per clip. It offers strong realism but provides only basic creative inputs like text-to-video and image-to-video. Native audio is available, although quality and sync may vary. As of now, we’ve only tested Veo 3, and while the results are impressive, its current US-only availability and pricing model make it less accessible for our workflow at this time.

Veo 3.1 introduces several new capabilities designed to support longer-form and multi-shot content. It retains the same 8-second generation limit, but adds a scene-extension workflow that allows users to build continuous sequences. Audio is upgraded with richer sound, improved lip-sync accuracy, and more natural dialogue handling, making it more suitable for clips that rely on spoken content.

The update also brings expanded creative controls, including First and Last Frame guidance, Ingredients-to-Video for up to three reference images, and improvements in frame-to-frame consistency across extended shots. Veo 3.1 also produces more dynamic camera movement and higher-energy visuals. Together, these changes position Veo 3.1 as a more flexible tool for structured storytelling and controlled visual output.

AI in Motion Design: Tools or Replacement?

So, let’s go back to the big question: “What’s the best AI tool for motion design?” Well, the answer really depends on your needs.

If you prioritise efficiency and control, Runway might be your best bet—it has the most built-in features to help you create videos more effectively. But if cost is a bigger factor and you don’t mind waiting a bit longer for video generation, Kling AI could be the better choice. Each tool has its own strengths, so it’s all about finding what works best for you.

But this leads us to an even bigger discussion: Can AI replace human designers and animators?

AI tools are getting incredibly advanced—they can replicate human movement, generate animations, and even do voiceovers. So, if AI can do all of that, do we still need designers and animators?

According to our team, the answer is no—or at least not anytime soon. Right now, AI is best seen as a powerful assistant—helping speed up workflows, automate repetitive tasks, and enhance creativity. But motion design is more than just generating visuals. It requires artistic vision, storytelling, and precise fine-tuning—things AI simply can’t replicate yet.

That said, AI is changing the game. It’s pushing the industry forward and redefining what it means to be a motion designer. But instead of the bleak, robotic future many people fear, the industry is evolving into something more vibrant and futuristic than ever, which should excite artist/designer rather than making them scared, as it is a joy of discovering something new.

The best way to adapt? Embrace the tools, master them, and use them to enhance creativity. Because at the end of the day, AI isn’t replacing humans—it’s empowering them. (For now.)

Before you jump into subscribing to any AI tool, just keep in mind that the tool is only as good as the person using it. But if you want to see how AI can blend beautifully with animation and motion design for your next project, feel free to book a call. We’d love to chat and help you bring your ideas to life.