Synthetic Video
Synthetic video generation today empowers nearly anyone to become a content creator. It offers an impressive level of lifelike video content production, but at a fraction of the time and money needed for more manual processes. Synthetic video employs artificial intelligence to automate the entire flow of video creation, including sets, speech, actors, and physical movements. It is truly changing the landscape in both the creative expression and the business value in video communications.
What is a Synthetic Video?
Synthetic AI video uses artificial intelligence to create dynamic imagery that appears lifelike. For example, a synthetic video generator uses human input to create virtual video content similar in quality to a movie that involves physical sets, actual people, studio equipment, and so on.
From a user standpoint, synthetic video platforms are like many other AI applications. Video generation is mostly a matter of choosing from a menu of options for the features of the video and then supplying the customized context that drives what happens on screen. The complex nature of synthetic video generation means that everyday users rely on third-party platforms instead of the considerable expense required–and technical challenges posed–by building the technology from the ground up.
The State of Synthetic Video Technology
There are a variety of synthetic video platforms on the market, and each has a different set of tools and methods for creating content. However, the market is moving towards platforms that optimize input simplicity.
According to this press release, the AI image generator market is growing at 38% per year and will reach an estimated value of 61 billion dollars in 2030, with textual content being a major input method. The first instance of text-generated image and animation integration for AI video occurred in 2022. When considering that this important advance was achieved only about 10 years after the first development of AI for image synthesis, it seems that the simplicity of user interfaces will grow significantly in the coming years.
How Synthetic Videos Are Created
Although the process of using a synthetic video platform is meant to be simple for the user, its underlying technology is highly complex. This complicated process is outlined below:
Training
The artificial intelligence component of synthetic video production “learns” how to recognize the visual aspects of a video by applying deep learning techniques. It is trained to analyze the parts of an image through convolutional neural networks, and then how to apply fluid motions to video sequences by using recurrent neural networks.
Input
After this stage, the AI translates video elements that are selected or uploaded by the user into a logical sequence of moving images. The sequence of events and the characters’ actions are based on content provided by the user. The look and feel of the scenes can be polished by applying style transfer techniques. Note that an advanced form of synthetic video can use generative adversarial networks to independently create content and other video elements.
Applications of Synthetic Video
A unique aspect of synthetic video generation is that its applications go beyond simply replacing other video production methods. With the artificial intelligence capabilities of synthetic video, new areas of application are constantly being found.
Business
Marketing methods that were previously not possible, such as personalized videos, are just one of synthetic video’s many business applications. Others include product and explainer videos; media for training and onboarding; advertising spots; and interactive customer service.
Education and Training
In the classroom and many professional settings, synthetic video adds a customizable and interactive capability. For example, virtual humans can be programmed to simulate medical patients to train doctors. Similarly, for students, the material can be customized to adapt to individual learning paces.
Entertainment
Synthetic videos are a great method of expression for creators who cannot afford a traditional production studio, while allowing them to experiment extensively. Synthetic video is also becoming part of the AI companion market, where real people can develop relationships with digital humans programmed for empathetic reactions.
Benefits of Synthetic Videos
Many aspects of synthetic video have been around for years. To create artificial scenes, the business and entertainment video industries have evolved from green screens that use a real actor to motion capture (or performance capture) technologies that use sensors worn by an actor to record their movements. Similarly, voice recognition technologies that were once restricted to voice-to-text output can now generate lifelike text-to-voice output for digital humans. With synthetic video, we now have the ability to create totally virtual productions, with the following benefits:
Simplicity
A high-quality synthetic video platform is based on user-friendliness. Practically no training is required, while the video creation process has been boiled down to selecting video elements: the look of the characters, their voices, and the background setting. All of the actions of the virtual humans – dialogue, movements, and storyline progression – are a result of artificial intelligence being able to translate a text (in the case of text-generated image and animation integration) into what appears in the video.
Resources
In accordance with a simple creation process, businesses and individual users only need to invest resources in:
- The synthetic video platform
- The time it takes to select video elements
- Creation of a text that contains the messaging content of the video
There is no longer a need to hire, screen, rehearse with, or pay actors, while the expense of sets, production equipment, and editing processes is eliminated.
Modification
Significant resources are also saved for any post-production changes that the creator wants to implement. For example, upon viewing the draft product, a creator might want to:
- Change the messaging
- Experiment with different characters, voices, and backgrounds
- Translate the audio into various languages
- Update content
- Build several versions for the sake of A/B testing
With synthetic video, both minor and major edits can be executed simply by changing the text of the video and resetting video elements.
Experimentation
Artificial intelligence has a remarkable ability to build fascinating creations simply from text, for example, in the case of AI-generated art. Marketers and private users can try out an endless number of creative concepts just by inputting text. This provides opportunities to experiment with different video elements to differentiate the content, build a unique brand, attract a diverse clientele, and so on.
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