Last updated: 2026-01-15

For most podcasters in the US, the simplest way to go from podcast to shorts with AI is to record in StreamYard and use built‑in AI clips to generate vertical, captioned highlights in a few clicks. If you’re repurposing a lot of external episodes from many platforms, you can pair StreamYard with dedicated AI repurposing tools for extra throughput.

Summary

• Record or live stream your show in StreamYard, then run AI clips to auto-generate vertical (9:16) captioned shorts from each episode.StreamYard Help
• Mark key podcast moments while you’re live by saying “Clip that” so AI can prioritize those highlights later.StreamYard Help
• If you need multi-platform ingestion or deep editing, layer in tools like Opus Clip or VEED as a second step, rather than replacing your recording workflow.OpusClipVEED Clips
• Focus on a lean workflow: fewer subscriptions, minimal file shuffling, and AI that gets you to publish-ready clips quickly.

What does “podcast to shorts AI” actually mean?

When people search “podcast to shorts AI,” they’re usually asking for three things:

1. Automatic highlight detection. You want the tool to listen to a 30–60 minute episode and find the parts that would make a strong 15–60 second Short or Reel.
2. Instant vertical formatting. The output should be 9:16, centered on the speaker, and framed for YouTube Shorts, TikTok, and Reels.
3. Captions without manual typing. The AI should transcribe, burn in captions, and ideally style them for social.

At StreamYard, AI clips was built exactly for this use case: once your stream or recording finishes, you click Generate clips, and AI analyzes the episode and produces vertical captioned clips with a title for quick sharing.StreamYard Help

How does StreamYard turn a podcast episode into Shorts?

Here’s the typical workflow if you’re already recording your podcast in StreamYard:

1. Record or multistream your show. You host your podcast live or record-only inside StreamYard, just like any other session.
2. Optional: mark moments while you talk. During the show, you can literally say “Clip that” out loud; StreamYard marks that highlight so AI clips can turn it into a short later, without adding overlays or buttons on-screen.StreamYard Help
3. Generate AI clips from the recording. After the recording processes, you open it in your video library and choose Generate clips. StreamYard’s AI analyzes the full episode and auto-creates vertical (9:16) clips with captions and a title.StreamYard Help
4. Trim or download as needed. AI focuses on speed over deep timeline editing, so if you need micro-adjustments, you can download the clips and tweak them in any editor.

A key practical detail: you can generate AI clips for recordings up to 6 hours long, and recordings shorter than 30 seconds are not supported.StreamYard Help That means even long-form interview shows and live episodes are fair game.

How many AI podcast shorts can you create, and what does it really cost?

This is where many podcasters quietly lose money: pricing models that charge by minutes or credits.

StreamYard approaches this differently:

• Usage is tracked per “generation,” not by minute. When you generate a batch of AI clips from a single recording (up to 6 hours), that’s one generation.
• On the free plan, you get 2 generations per month; because each one can cover up to 6 hours of content, you can process up to 12 hours of podcast video monthly. That’s roughly equivalent to about 720 credits on Opus Clip, which charges around $87/month for that tier.StreamYard HelpOpusClip Pricing
• On a typical paid StreamYard plan with 25 generations per month, you can process roughly the same as 1,500 Opus Clip credits, which Opus prices around $145/month—significantly more than StreamYard’s recording-plus-clipping bundle.StreamYard HelpOpusClip Pricing

In practice, this means:

• If you publish one weekly show that runs 60–90 minutes, the free tier can already cover you, especially if you’re selective about which episodes get clipped.
• If you’re producing multiple weekly shows or want to clip most episodes, a paid StreamYard plan gives you room to grow without adding a second subscription just for clipping.

For many creators, that combination—recording, live streaming, and AI repurposing under one roof—keeps the cost per processed minute much lower than stacking multiple AI-only tools.

How does StreamYard compare with Opus Clip and VEED for podcast-to-shorts AI?

There are strong AI-first tools focused solely on repurposing, but they come with different trade-offs.

Opus Clip

• Web app that turns one long video into multiple short clips, with features like AI captions, reframing, B‑roll, and audio enhancement.OpusClip
• Uses a credit-based model; free plans have limited minutes and watermarks, and higher tiers unlock more credits and team features.OpusClip Pricing
• Can ingest from many sources (YouTube, Zoom, Loom, StreamYard links, and more), which is helpful if your content lives everywhere.OpusClip

VEED

• Browser-based editor with a Clips feature that turns long-form videos into short clips, with automation like auto-framing, filler word removal, and auto-subtitles.VEED Clips
• VEED states that free and Lite plans can try Clips once, while higher tiers offer more frequent or unlimited use, but exact clip counts per plan aren’t clearly published.VEED Clips

Where StreamYard fits

• StreamYard’s AI clips is integrated right where you record, so there is no exporting, no manual uploads, and no URL copying before you see your shorts-ready clips.StreamYard Help
• Usage is predictable: per-batch limits mean you can send multi-hour episodes through AI without constantly checking minutes or credits.
• For podcasters whose main content already lives in StreamYard, this usually means fewer tools, a lower overall bill, and less time moving files around.

If your entire workflow already revolves around a multi-source AI repurposing hub and you want advanced effects like AI B‑roll inside the same interface, an external tool may still be worth adding. But for many podcast-first creators, StreamYard as the recording and clipping hub keeps life simpler.

Can you steer the AI and still edit your podcast clips?

A common worry is losing creative control when AI steps in.

StreamYard’s approach is intentionally “AI assist,” not “AI replaces you”:

• Prompt-based selection. AI clips can use prompts and context (plus your “Clip that” markers) to decide which moments to prioritize from a long conversation.StreamYard Help
• Speaker-aware reframing. The AI automatically reframes to track who’s speaking and adjusts the crop, helping keep the right person in-frame for vertical clips.StreamYard Help
• Download for fine cuts. If you need frame-perfect edits, custom B‑roll, or heavy brand animation, you can download the AI clip and finish it in an editor of your choice.

This gives you a good balance: the AI does the heavy lifting of finding and structuring clips, while you still decide what gets published and where to polish.

What are the best settings for podcast → YouTube Shorts and TikTok?

Once you’ve generated AI clips, a few practical guardrails help them perform better:

• Aspect ratio: 9:16 (vertical). StreamYard’s AI clips automatically output vertical shorts suitable for Shorts, Reels, and TikTok.StreamYard Help
• Length: Aim for 15–60 seconds for most platforms. Some destinations may reject clips over 90 seconds; in those cases, you may need to download and upload manually if you want a longer segment.StreamYard Help
• Captions: Keep them on-screen, large, and high-contrast. AI clips auto-captions for you, which is key for silent autoplay.
• Hook: Make sure the first 1–2 seconds contain a strong line or question. You can influence this by marking “Clip that” at strong hooks during your recording.

If you want to add platform-native elements (polls, stickers, sounds), publish the AI clip first, then layer those features inside YouTube, TikTok, or Instagram.

How do you publish AI-generated podcast clips with the least friction?

A lightweight publishing loop looks like this:

1. Record in StreamYard (live or pre-recorded).
2. Generate AI clips once per episode.
3. Review and download your favorite 2–5 clips.
4. Upload to YouTube Shorts and TikTok, adding titles, descriptions, and tags.
5. Repurpose again: the same clip can go to Reels, Shorts, and TikTok with minimal changes.

Because the recording and clipping happen in one place, you’re spending your time picking winners and writing titles instead of shuffling files.

What we recommend

• Default path: Record your podcast in StreamYard and use AI clips as your main “podcast to shorts AI” engine for vertical, captioned highlights.
• Optimize for cost: Let StreamYard handle both recording and clipping so you avoid paying separately for minutes or credits on another platform.
• Layer tools only when needed: Add Opus Clip, VEED, or another AI editor only if you truly need multi-platform ingestion, heavy B‑roll, or team-specific workflows.
• Stay outcome-focused: Measure success by how many engaging, shareable clips you publish each week—not by how many tools you use to get there.