We ranked 8 AI Video Agents specifically for YouTube Shorts creators — by hook strength, 9:16 fit, render speed, and per-video cost. AutoAE wins #1 not because it's all-in-one (it isn't), but because the 5-second hook decides 80% of Shorts retention, and AutoAE is the hook specialist. Pair it with Agent Opus, Krea AI, or CapCut for the rest. Here's the ranked list with honest scores and pairing advice.