What is Synthetic Media?

Synthetic media refers to a wide range of AI-generated and AI-assisted content used to create videos, images, audio, text, or characters. For video, synthetic media may include AI-generated:

Avatars
Animations
Scenes and visual effects

For audio, synthetic media can include AI-generated:

Voices and voice cloning
Text-to-speech narration
Music and sound effects

For text, this looks like:

Articles
Chatbots and virtual assistants
Automated summaries and reports

Synthetic media changes how people create, communicate, and interact with digital content.

Why Synthetic Media Matters

By using synthetic media for digital content, content is produced faster, more affordably, and at greater scale than using traditional methods. Synthetic media automates content creation and production. Other benefits to using synthetic media include:

Enhanced accessibility
Personalized experiences
Expanded educational opportunities
Reduced production costs
Scalable

Synthetic media also encourages heightened safety and discernment for ethical content creation in order to avoid the spreading and consuming of misinformation.

Example Use Cases for Synthetic Media

  • Education: Educators use synthetic media for educational videos, accessibility support, and multilingual learning. Example: A lesson is automatically translated and narrated in multiple languages.

  • Businesses: Businesses use synthetic media for product training, customer support, and sales enablement. Example: Teams generate personalized training materials for various regions and roles.

  • Content Creation: Creators use synthetic media for podcast production, digital influencers, and explainer videos. Example: AI creates short-form videos, graphics, and voiceovers for multiple platforms.

Frequently asked questions

No. Deepfakes are one type of synthetic media that use AI to realistically alter or imitate a person's appearance or voice. Synthetic media is a broader category that includes many beneficial applications such as educational videos, virtual tutors, and accessibility tools.

Synthetic media is typically created using AI models trained on large datasets. These models can generate new content from text prompts, audio samples, images, videos, or other inputs.

AI avatars are digital characters that can speak, present information, and interact with audiences. They are often used in training videos, online courses, customer support, and marketing.