Runway's new Chat Mode generates images and videos in one place

Runway just rolled out Chat Mode, bringing image and video generation into a single conversational interface.

Instead of bouncing between different tabs to draft a concept, generate an image, and then turn it into a video, creators can now handle the entire process inside one chat thread.

Creative workflow in a single thread

Runway pitched the new feature as an end-to-end flow from ideation to iteration. Users can prompt for visual ideas, tweak images, and generate video clips without leaving the conversation.

Alongside the launch, the company released a guide in Runway Academy walking through the new workflow.

Why it matters

Generative media has long suffered from fragmented workflows where creators stitch together three different tools just to get five seconds of footage. Unifying text-to-image and text-to-video into one conversational stream is a smart, friction-reducing move.

It also reflects where the industry is heading: specialized creative suites are adopting ChatGPT-style chat interfaces as the default canvas.

That said, conversational UI can be a double-edged sword for video pros. While it makes brainstorming and rapid prototyping much faster, precise control over camera motion and character consistency usually requires granular dials, not just back-and-forth chatter.