Do AI video editors upload your footage?
Many AI video editors upload your footage to their cloud, but not all. octuedit keeps clips, projects and exports on your Mac and transcribes there; your own AI agent only receives your requests, its work on the project and, by default, a few frames per clip. Palmier Pro also edits and transcribes locally. Cardboard's Mac app keeps footage local but sends frames and the transcript to Cardboard. Ponder keeps cloud copies of footage previews, and Descript and OpusClip upload your media. If privacy matters, check what leaves your computer, not just where the app runs.
By Shivank Goura, co-founder of octuedit. We make octuedit, one of the tools in this guide·Updated 27 October 2026
Do you have to upload your videos to use an AI video editor?
No, not with every AI video editor. octuedit, an AI video editor for Mac, keeps clips, projects and exports on your computer, and transcription, shot detection, tracking, audio cleanup and export all run there. No octuedit server ever receives your footage; the app sends us anonymous step diagnostics and a record of each agent edit (the request, the agent's steps and the timeline, never media) so the agent learns to edit better, both of which you can turn off in Settings > Privacy. The editing is done by your own Claude Code or Codex, under your own Anthropic or OpenAI account, which receives your requests, its work on the project and, by default, a few still frames per clip for visual search that you can also switch off. Palmier Pro also edits locally. Cardboard's Mac app keeps footage local but sends frames and the transcript to Cardboard, while Descript and OpusClip upload or process your media in their cloud. Local editing still needs an internet connection for the agent's requests, so it is private for media rather than fully offline.
Where does your footage go in each AI editor?
Of the seven editors here, octuedit and Palmier Pro keep footage on your Mac and can transcribe it there, though Palmier Pro also offers cloud transcription on paid plans. Cardboard's Mac app edits locally but sends frames and the transcript to Cardboard, Ponder keeps cloud copies of footage previews, and Cardboard in the browser, Descript and OpusClip process or upload your media in the cloud.
| Editor | Footage | Transcription | What is sent |
|---|---|---|---|
| octuedit | Stays on your Mac | On your Mac | Your own agent receives requests, its steps and results, and a few frames per clip unless switched off |
| Palmier Pro | Edited locally | Local, or cloud on paid plans | Agent access through a local MCP server |
| Cardboard (Mac app) | Stays local | In the cloud | Frames and the transcript, to Cardboard and your agent |
| Cardboard (browser) | Edited in the cloud | In the cloud | Your media |
| Ponder | Originals and previews on your computer, cloud copies of previews | Not stated | Cloud copies of your footage previews |
| Descript | Uploaded to cloud storage | In the cloud | Your media, within plan storage limits |
| OpusClip | Uploaded | In the cloud | Your videos, up to its upload limits |
What should you ask any AI video editor about privacy?
Ask five questions before you trust an AI video editor with your footage: whether the footage itself is uploaded or only frames and text, where transcription runs, which AI provider receives your data and under whose account, whether frame analysis can be switched off, and whether the app sends usage or crash data.
- Is the footage itself uploaded, or only frames and text?
- Where does transcription run?
- Which AI provider receives your data, and under whose account?
- Can you turn off frame or footage analysis?
- Does the app send usage or crash data?
How does octuedit handle your footage?
octuedit never uploads your footage. It sends anonymous diagnostics about how each editing step ran (timings, failures, CPU and memory, never file names or media), and, so the agent learns to edit better, a record of each agent edit: your request, the agent's steps and the timeline before and after, never video, audio or image files. Both are on by default and each turns off in Settings > Privacy. Transcription, shot detection, beat tracking, tracking, audio cleanup and export run on your Mac. The editing AI is your own Claude Code or Codex, under your account, so its data handling follows your agreement with Anthropic or OpenAI. You can switch off frame descriptions in Settings.
Prices and features are from each company's own website, checked October 2026, and may change. Sources: cardboard.ai/desktop, palmier.io, ponder.ai, descript.com/pricing, opus.pro/pricing.
FAQ
Do I need to upload footage to the cloud for AI video editing?
Not with every editor. octuedit and Palmier Pro edit locally, and Cardboard's Mac app keeps footage local while sending frames and the transcript. Ponder keeps cloud copies of footage previews, and Descript and OpusClip process or store your media in the cloud.
Does my footage stay private when using AI video editors?
It depends on the editor. octuedit keeps footage on your Mac and transcribes locally; only your requests, the agent's work and a few frames reach your own AI agent. Cloud editors store or process your media on their servers.
Which AI video editor works without uploading video?
octuedit keeps clips, projects and exports on your Mac, and Palmier Pro also edits locally. Both use an AI agent that needs an internet connection for the editing requests themselves.
Ponder