What is generative AI
AI stands for Artificial Intelligence. Years ago, it was just an element of Sci-Fi novels, but today, it's a reality. AI is a complex set of algorithms that can perform various tasks, solve problems, and even predict future events or tendencies.
Generative AI is a complex set of algorithms that can perform creative tasks: based on human-created prompts or queries, it can write poems/literature/screenplays, draw pictures, compose music, etc.
Is AI dangerous? Can it replace humans? Will it cause a wave of layoffs? How will it change the way we create and perceive someone's creations? We will do our best to answer these questions and any others you may have.
Benefits of using AI in video production
Let's start with the bright side. Generative AI tools at the moment offer remarkable potential:
- They can perform and automate small and tedious tasks, such as color correction, adding subtitles, footage sorting, etc.
- AI helps generate ideas, brainstorm, and inspire.
- You save time and budget. Performing all the technical non-creative tasks, AI replaces several employees and gets the result in minutes instead of days.
- They make creativity genuinely democratic. With the help of AI, everybody can express themself, even without special education, experience, or costly editing tools.
- With proper prompts, AI allows for true personalization. It can analyze the user's preferences in seconds and create a video according to their tastes. This way, even the same content may look slightly different (and more appealing) for each separate viewer.
Challenges of AI in video production
On the other hand, not everything in this garden is rosy. AI video editing and creating drawbacks are also numerous. Just to name a few:
- AI-generated video currently looks uncanny and unpolished. Even though the level of elaboration and realism is overwhelming and it may be difficult to tell such a project apart from real recordings, there are still visible imperfections, increased with the uncanny valley phenomenon (that's when human-like images, dolls, or robots evoke the unconscious feeling of unease, fear, and discomfort).
- Legal questions. Artificial Intelligence cannot create something new; it just compiles someone else's creations, so the copyright might be an issue. Another question is when the generated image is similar to a real person but for a few tiny details. Technically, it's not a photo, but it's still a "gray zone" in the context of the law.
- Public disapproval. When clients see that the content was created by AI, they feel deceived, as the company or a vlogger didn't make an effort.
- Job market changes. First, roles are being reshaped, as creators can focus on creative tasks exclusively and don't have to take care of tedious tasks. Also, some jobs become redundant, such as color correction artists, etc., so these professionals have to adapt or retrain.
- Lack of emotional intelligence. AI images and videos don't transmit a message, as they don't have any. An algorithm follows the text prompt but can't interpret it and step forward. AI doesn't understand the emotions the project should provoke and can't encapsulate them. In other words, it focuses on the content, not the intent.
- "Hallucinations". At this moment, Artificial Intelligence can "hallucinate". The best-known example is the number of fingers, toes, or limbs. Such problems are frequent even for the most realistic AI videos.
The future of AI videos
In this context, we should rather talk about our common future as humankind and artificial intelligence. Here are our predictions.
While AI dangers are undeniable, the tendency is that this technology is rather a collaborator than a competitor. We have to find a way to coexist with AI and make the most of it.
Most probably, AI will integrate with virtual and augmented reality so that videos look 100% natural and embedded in the real world (seeing through special glasses, for example).
Some professions will disappear, but new ones will emerge. Video projects will be stored in the cloud; several editors can work with them simultaneously.
FAQs
What are the benefits of using AI in video production?
In a nutshell, AI saves time, money, and effort, taking care of all the tedious "mechanical" tasks and letting artists and cinematographers focus on more creative jobs.
How can AI negatively impact video production?
AI videos are creepy and unnatural because of the lack of a "message", complex emotions, and subtext. That's why human artists should still edit AI-generated content.
How to achieve a balance between AI and human creativity?
The best way so far is to distinguish "AI tasks" and "human tasks". The former are dull and monotonous jobs, such as color correction, and the latter are highly creative tasks that demand imagination and emotional intelligence.
Final thoughts
Artificial Intelligence is a phenomenon that has already altered our ways of creating and editing content drastically, and more changes are still to come. As this technology will not recede, we must adapt and take advantage of the new reality.
