Is there anything we do that doesn’t involve media? Probably not. Think about it for a moment. Whether walking around the city, scrolling through social networking sites, working, or even playing gambling games on licensed sites such as Vulkan Vegas, media is all around us.
We consume more content than ever before. And thanks to new technologies, we can also actively contribute to creating it. Nowadays, anyone can easily create a stunning design, make music on a laptop, edit a TikTok video, or use a funny Snapchat filter on their photos. Synthetic media, also called shortly SM, is the technology driving this change in how individuals and companies create content.
Media has evolved significantly over time. We started with cave paintings during our ancestors’ time and moved to print. We later adopted mass media, and now the synthetic stage is here with us. Essentially, this technology involves creating content using machine learning and artificial intelligence. It can encompass four main formats that are generated by computing devices:
text;
images;
audio;
video.
SM uses technology to produce content that traditional methods like microphones or cameras cannot capture. One of the most notable benefits of this media type is that it enables the creation of realistic and detailed content without expensive equipment or complicated production. Gone are the days when you needed to spend a ton of money on equipment or hire a professional just to create means that can speak to the masses.
What is the status of SM? Well, it’s gaining popularity. However, society hasn’t fully embraced it since it’s a completely new category. For a better understanding, we can refer to the adoption lifecycle model that applies to any innovation or new product.
Thus, as we speak, we are in the early stages with a mix of excited innovators and early adopters. It’s, therefore, normal to see distrust, fear, and caution in discussions around this tech at this phase. As technology becomes more popular, society tends to become more accepting of it.
The SM trend is here with us, and adoption will likely increase in the next few years. Even though we are in the early stages of a significant change, people’s attitudes towards synthetic media are becoming more positive. We expect to see major advancements in the use of AI soon.
If you are among the group that is highly skeptical of AI, it’s important to remember that the way we create and share stories has always changed. We have gone a long way to the Internet, cameras, Snapchat filters, and Photoshop.
As we look toward the next few years, we will see several important trends and developments in SM. Some of the trends worth keeping an eye on include:
Deepfakes: One of the biggest is the ongoing improvement of deepfake technology. These deep fakes have become more realistic and believable, so creating tools and technologies to identify and prevent their misuse is essential;
Increased adoption: We can expect more adoption beyond its usage only for entertainment and advertising. For instance, organizations can start using it to train AI models for self-driving cars and robots. This could significantly change fields like education and medicine;
Affordability and accessibility: More companies will join the SM market as the tech becomes more affordable and accessible. This influx will create greater competition and foster innovation in the industry. In turn, it will encourage the creation of even more advanced synthetic media technologies.
The development of SM hasn’t been without its hurdles. Setbacks are expected, considering the technology is still in its infancy stages.
One of the most significant challenges in the synthetic media industry is the need for accountability and transparency. Deepfakes and other categories of SM are becoming more realistic, and it can be hard to tell what is real and what is actually fake. This difficulty can cause serious issues related to the spread of propaganda and misinformation.
Some experts are addressing these concerns by advocating for new technologies and standards to identify and verify SM. Possible solutions may include blockchain technology, digital watermarks, and other methods to trace the origin and history of SM.
We are at the beginning of a major shift. Content creation is transitioning from the physical setting to computers. Representatives of our generation can now do things people have never been able to achieve before. The Internet will evolve from simple, text-based interactions to more engaging and interactive experiences. This shift will permanently reshape the media landscape and alter our communication for good.
Like any other innovation, we don’t yet know the final outcome. We are still figuring out how combining advanced technology and human creativity will shape the future of content creation and ingestion. However, we are watching closely, with curiosity and optimism.
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