AE Agent
Chat vs Agent mode
AE Agent has two modes. Agent mode does the work for you inside After Effects. Chat mode answers questions and writes code without ever touching your project. Toggle between them at the bottom of the panel.
Agent mode
Agent mode executes work directly in After Effects. It has access to 50+ pre-built tools that create compositions, layers, effects, masks, and keyframes — the same operations you would perform by hand, driven by natural language.
- →Runs pre-built tools to build comps, add layers, apply effects, and set keyframes.
- →Writes and runs custom
ExtendScript(JSX) when no built-in tool fits the request. - →Reads back the result and self-corrects on errors — retrying with a different approach.
Undo (Ctrl/Cmd+Z) if a step isn't what you wanted.Chat mode
Chat mode is read-only. It answers questions, explains how to do something, and writes expressions or code for you to copy — but it never modifies your project. It can still read your project state (comps, layers, properties) to give accurate, context-aware answers.
- →Answers "how do I…" questions about After Effects and your project.
- →Writes expressions, JSX snippets, and step-by-step instructions for you to copy and apply.
- →Can read the current project state, but never writes or changes anything.
Side by side
| Capability | Agent mode | Chat mode |
|---|---|---|
| Modifies your project | Yes | No |
| Runs built-in tools | Yes (50+) | No |
| Writes custom JSX | Yes — and runs it | Yes — for you to copy |
| Reads project state | Yes | Yes |
| Self-corrects on errors | Yes | n/a |
| Answers questions | Yes | Yes |
| Best for | Building & editing | Learning & copy-paste code |
Switching modes
Use the mode toggle at the bottom of the panel, next to the message box. Switch to Chat when you want to ask a question or get an expression without changing your project, and switch to Agent when you want AE Agent to actually do the work.