Instagram has announced a new tool called “First Draft” to speed up the editing process for Reels creators. The feature analyzes the long, raw videos selected by users, removing silences, pauses and unnecessary sections to create a rough cut from the key moments.
Instagram spokesperson Nicole Rechtszaid explained that the tool does not use artificial intelligence, but relies on algorithms that analyze silent pauses and the video timeline. “First Draft” can be accessed through the button that appears in the camera interface after recording a video. The feature has initially begun rolling out gradually only to iOS users.
Why it matters
First Draft aims to make part of the process of sorting through raw footage for Reels production faster within the app; this could affect how creators working with particularly long recordings prepare their rough cuts. The fact that the tool relies on algorithms based on silences and the timeline rather than artificial intelligence creates an important distinction for users evaluating how the feature makes decisions. Providing access through the camera interface after recording makes it possible to start the initial edit without moving on to a separate stage for editing. However, because of the gradual iOS rollout, it is not yet clear which group of users has received the feature or to what extent, nor when broader access will be provided.
Background
Instagram is not a new name in the FikirPilot archive: in the last 90 days, we published a news article in which this name appeared; that article is dated August 25, 2026. This development will be added alongside those records in our archive; readers can follow earlier articles bearing the same name in the archive to see the timeline as a whole.