At its annual NAB showcase, Blackmagic Design unveiled over a dozen new products headlined by DaVinci Resolve 19, a major update that brings AI-powered tools to its popular video editing and color grading suite. The Australian company is embracing artificial intelligence to enhance functionality across editing, color, visual effects, and audio production workflows.

DaVinci Resolve has risen to prominence as a free or affordable alternative to subscription-based options like Adobe‘s Premiere Pro. Version 19 sees it catching up with AI capabilities pioneered by competing platforms. The Edit module introduces text-based editing, allowing users to work with transcribed dialogue instead of just video clips.

In the Color room, a new “Color Slice” interface taps into AI to provide granular control over specific color ranges like reds, greens and skin tones. An “IntelliTrack” feature powered by neural networks promises to make motion-tracking objects for effects or stabilization a breeze by automatically following selected points through a clip.

The updated Resolve also introduces AI-driven noise reduction, simulated shallower depth of field via defocused backgrounds, and tools for creating filmic looks with over 60 adjustable parameters. Face refinement goes beyond basic tracking by allowing targeted enhancements to things like brightness and detail on detected faces.

The Fusion visual effects component gains improved 3D object manipulation, while Fairlight’s new Dialogue Separator leverages AI to split production audio into streamed like voice, ambience and music.

DaVinci Resolve 19 is currently available as a free public beta, with the official release expected in the coming months. The Studio edition sells for $295, while the free version remains a capable option for individuals and smaller studios.