Twenty years ago, conceive a video without a cast, makeup, costumes, locations, lighting, considerable budget and getting the audiovisual material at the speed of “lights, camera, action” it bordered on the unimaginable. Today the emergence of generative video revolutionizes the conception of communication in its audiovisual expression, transforming the way in which we produce and we consume the stories of the most emblematic format of the Web.
Then the following lines seek to do zoom to the opportunities, limitations, challenges and trends presented by generative video, a content creation tool applicable to various industries.
To achieve the aforementioned purpose, let’s first understand what a video is and why it is relevant. A video is a series of frames (still images) reproduced at high speed, in such a way that they give the sensation of movement. Omnipresent on social networks like TikTok, Youtube, instagram either Facebookand chameleonic in its purposes (information, advertising, commercial, etc.), it is consolidated as the medium par excellence of communication on the Internet.
In this regard, the Adobe study (2024) “Global marketing content trends and preferences” indicates that the Generation Z (those born between 1995 and 2010) and those millennials (those born between 1981 and 1994) prefer video over other digital formats, with 98% and 91%, respectively.
Globally, the aforementioned study shows that respondents are 24% more likely to purchase short content than long content. In that sense, this preference for short and concise content extends to social networks. Thus, 84% of users lean toward short subtitleswhich marks a trend towards economy of language and capturing immediate attention.
Now, let’s explore the essence of generative video. Why would it transcend the industry? audiovisual communication And how is its evolution going now? The generative video, that is, the one created by artificial intelligence (AI) arises from textual descriptions or simple text instructions. Its relevance lies in the democratization of video production.
At the end of 2022, thanks to initiatives from technological giants such as Meta, Google and the startup Runway, pioneering models emerged capable of transforming text into video. However, during the first months of this year, OpenAI launched “Sora”, a model capable of generating realistic videos, presenting itself as the most advanced on the market.
Thanks to a vast bank of videos to which it has access, Sora can generate innovative audiovisual material, useful in film production and/or management of social networks. Although it still has flaws, it achieves scenes with much greater realism than its predecessors, an acceptable resolution and, in addition, a longer duration (up to one minute in its initial version).
Currently, OpenAI has limited the tool to a select group (academics, professionals and a security team), responsible for looking for possible errors in the platform.
While it is true, the company that created ChatGPT also presides over the audiovisual technology race, based on these advances, many companies are targeting this new market. Two of the most famous text-to-image transformation companies, such as Midjourney and Stability AI, are beginning to venture into the video format.
It should be noted that the potential of this technology is already observed in the making of certain short films. A recent example is “Somme Requiem” (2024). This 2.5-minute production, made by Los Angeles production company Myles, shows soldiers trapped in the snow during the Christmas truce in World War I. The shots were generated using the artificial intelligence tool Runway.
As we initially noted, AI-powered video marks a milestone in the creation of audiovisual content, providing multiple possibilities. Its contribution is expressed in terms of cost efficiency. Thus, complex and industry-specific processes such as script writing or video editing are simplified. The use of advanced algorithms and machine learning techniques reduce pre-production, production and post-production times.
For these purposes, according to IE Business School (2024), it is also worth highlighting video creation tools such as Pictory (simplifies the creation, editing and summary of videos), Synthesia (generates videos with digital avatars), Raw Shorts (facilitates the creation of explanatory and promotional videos), Quickvid.ai (specializing in short videos for YouTube), FlexClip (creates animated videos) and Deepbrain AI (generates videos from text).
Likewise, Fliki (creates social videos with text-to-speech integration), Lumen 5 (produces video for social networks), Rephrase.ai (creates videos with people speaking from texts) and Designs.ai (creates videos, logos, banners and mockups) are other platforms to take into account.
As a consequence, content producers now have greater possibilities to enhance the creative process. Thus, quality video production becomes more accessible for companies of any size.
However, despite the fact that generative video is advancing in leaps and bounds, it presents different technical limitations. It is not unusual to find errors such as characters with many fingers or very large fingers. In this way, maintaining diverse elements in a video sequence is a great challenge. Therefore, consistency is a critical factor why current tools only produce seconds in this format.
Furthermore, algorithms still cannot transmit the human emotions typical of audiovisual narratives, which generates problems in the authenticity of the content. However, experts believe they can fix the flaws as they train their systems with more and more data.
Recently, YouTube removed more than 100 videos after Forbes US discovered that the platform showed where to download porn apps and how to use artificial intelligence to remove clothes from people in any image.
Based on the above, deep concerns are raised about the malicious use of these tools and the possible consequences of their widespread use.
According to MIT Technology Review (2024) there are four key considerations in advancing generative video. First of all, constant innovation. With “Sora” at the helm, this technology faces challenges in coherence and realism for long videos. The second consideration is broad applications. Despite its extraordinary potential, there are still limits to the control and precision of generative video.
Regarding the third, preparation for a new reality. Adopting this technology requires responsible synergy from both developers and the public. Finally, we cannot fail to mention the disinformation and deepfakes (video, image or audio files manipulated with AI by passing them off as authentic content in order to deceive).
Finally, real-time video editing, the understanding of emotions by algorithms and the hyperpersonalization of content are some of the main trends in generative video, according to the incubator. on-line Faster Capital (2024).
In conclusion, as technology advances, AI-generated video will connect with viewers on a deeper level. The algorithms They will adapt each video user more precisely based on their interests. This will open up new opportunities and change the roles of content creators.
However, at the same speed with which it creates content, AI also generates dichotomies and ethical dilemmas. The preference between more powerful or safer technology. Between efficiency and creativity. Between the inexorable sea of banalities and the desert of reflective content. Between the viral and the moral.
To show a series of Netflix. The episode “Joan is Horrible” of the British science fiction series “Black Mirror” reflects some of the aforementioned controversies. The protagonist faces the fact that her entire daily life is reproduced on the screen, practically in real time, being a highly tuned series on a streaming platform. streaming, available not only to her, but also to any subscriber of said service. The success of the series lies in the users’ desire to see the protagonist’s anti-values. The chapter raises the debate on the ethics of artificial intelligence and privacy in the face of high-speed content generation.
Thus, we find ourselves in an unprecedented technological revolution. Based on ethical principles, let us build audiovisual spaces that encourage unlimited creativity, the quality of information and, why not, critical thinking. The future of society will depend on our commitment to embrace these changes responsibly, avoiding the temptation of commercial success at any cost, thus preserving those values that make us human. It is fair and necessary.
