How Descript AI Prompts Work
Descript uses AI in three main areas: Ask AI (for drafting scripts), AI video editing actions (like "Edit for Clarity"), and Overdub (text-to-speech). Great "prompts" are detailed context blocks: tell the AI what the project is, who it's for, what you want changed, and how long it should be.
Meta-Prompts for Descript's Ask AI Script Writer
"You are writing a script for a [type of video]. Topic: [topic]. Audience: [who]. Goal: [what they should learn]. Length: about [X] words / [Y] minutes. Tone: [friendly/professional/enthusiastic]. Structure: [hook → body → CTA] with clear, short sentences."
20+ Specific Script Prompts
- 2-minute YouTube video script on using Descript Overdub
- 60-second hook for "5 AI tools every content creator should know"
- 3-minute tutorial on using 'Edit for Clarity' AI action
- 90-second explainer for small business on why transcription helps editing
- 2-minute video script from bullet notes
- 60-second video explainer from a blog section
- 3-minute interview highlight script
- 3-minute educational script on batch recording content
- 2-minute onboarding script for new team members
- 60-second promo script for an online course
20+ AI Editing Prompt Ideas
Use these in Ask AI on a transcript inside Descript:
- "Edit this script for clarity: remove filler words, repetitions, and unfinished thoughts while keeping meaning"
- "Shorten this to 60 seconds of audio while preserving the three main points"
- "Rewrite to sound more conversational with shorter sentences"
- "Simplify this explanation for a non-technical beginner"
- "Turn this montage into a clear, step-by-step tutorial with numbered steps"
- "Highlight 5 potential short clips under 30 seconds for social media"
- "Write three alternative hooks (10–15 seconds each) for this video"
- "Create show notes and episode description with 5 SEO title ideas"
- "Convert this paragraph into bullet points (max 8 words each)"
- "Remove sentences that repeat the same idea"
Best Practices for Descript AI Prompts
- Lead with context: specify audience, format, and desired outcome
- Write for spoken delivery: short sentences, clear punctuation, everyday language
- Break work into stages: draft, clarify, shorten as separate prompts
- Save successful prompts: save as templates in Descript for future use
- Use transcripts as source: let Ask AI transform real recordings into summaries and hooks