What Do You Think? Should I Fire My Synthetic Spokespeople?

Hi friends,

I was going to introduce this week’s newsletter with a sweeping statement about how I’d decided to “fire’ all the synthetic spokespeople you see fronting my video content.

Yet, it was only a few short months ago that I was starstruck by the magic of synthetic people - so what changed?

Well, I received some constructive feedback along the lines of:

They aren’t authentic enough to represent my personality or brand.

Their delivery can feel flat and uninspiring.

Their lack of eye contact, gestures, and expressions detract from the message and the experience.

All valid points. But on the flip side, there was positive feedback too:

They are clear, concise, and on the whole, good communicators

They are relatable and reflect a diverse audience (and we haven’t even showcased their ‘polyglot’ skills yet) 😀 

They are in themselves a demonstration of the utility of AI

So, what to do?

As the magic becomes mainstream, our avatars’ synthetic shine may dim a little but the AI technology behind them continues to roar ahead.

Their sophistication, nuance, and realism will only grow.

So, I’ve decided to keep my synthetic team on the payroll for now but to keep pace with advances in avatar tech. too. It may even be that your next avatar spokesperson is my digital twin, a “Janet” clone 😁 

What do you think? Please let me know in the poll at the end of this issue. I value your feedback.

In the meantime, check out today’s AI Made Easy videos that explain more, and show you how to ‘hire’ (create) your own synthetic team.

AI SMORGASBORD

Dramatic growth in AI use at work: a full 20 percent of adults say that they have used ChatGPT for work. That’s up dramatically from the 12 percent who responded affirmatively when the same question was asked six months earlier—a rise of two-thirds. ChatGPT is a good bellwether of AI adoption as it’s the most well-known and accessible platform.

Samsung showcased its BESPOKE AI home appliances lineup at CES - Intelligent, connected appliances that work together to make every day more convenient…

A group of more than 200 high-profile musicians including Billy Eilish, Nicki Minaj, and Stevie Wonder have signed an open letter calling for protection against the predatory use of artificial intelligence that mimics human artists’ likenesses, voices, and sound.

A reporter tested a group chat with three AI friends, thanks to Nomi AI. “Nomi is very much centered around the loneliness epidemic,” Nomi CEO Alex Cardinell told TechCrunch. “A big part of our focus has been on the EQ side of things and the memory side of things.” Cool or creepy?

AI MADE EASY

Welcome to the world of synthetic people! What are they good at? Product demos and explainer videos, onboarding, compliance, and training videos, customer service, educational content, presentations, and so much more.

AI TOOLKIT

Spotlight: Avatar Video Creation

Hey Gen: HeyGen is an innovative video platform that harnesses the power of generative AI to streamline your video creation process.

Synthesia: Create studio-quality videos with AI avatars and voiceovers in 130+ languages. It’s as easy as making a slide deck.

Pipio: Turn your words into videos. Easily create videos in minutes with your own on-demand digital actors. You do the typing, they’ll do the talking.

Murf: Make studio-quality voiceovers in minutes. Use Murf’s lifelike AI voices for podcasts, videos, and presentations

Eleven Labs: Let your content go beyond text with realistic AI voices. Generate high-quality spoken audio in any voice, style, and language.

AI SKILLS-SHIFT

We talk quite a bit about ‘AI Authority’ and how valuable this is in helping you stand out in today’s ‘under AI pressure’ workplaces. There is a knowledge vacuum, and someone is going to fill it. There’s no reason why that someone shouldn’t be you. This simple approach is one way to get started.

AI-FLUENT?

Are you comfortable talking-AI-talk? Boost your understanding and vocabulary with our plain English glossary and analogies.

AI VS AUTOMATION

Artificial intelligence (AI) and automation are two technologies that are often confused, but they have some key differences:

Goal:

• Automation aims to replace human effort in repetitive tasks by following a set of programmed instructions.

• AI aspires to create intelligent machines that can mimic human cognitive functions like learning and problem-solving.

Process:

• Automation relies on pre-defined rules and doesn't adapt to changing circumstances.

• AI can learn from data and experiences, allowing it to adjust its approach and make decisions based on new information.

Applications:

• Automation excels in predictable tasks like assembling products on a factory line or sorting emails.

• AI tackles more complex scenarios like facial recognition software, fraud detection, or even composing creative content.

Relationship:

• Think of automation as a tool, and AI as a more sophisticated kind of tool. Automation is a broad concept, and AI is a subfield that uses advanced algorithms to achieve a specific type of automation - intelligent automation.

• Here's an analogy: imagine a thermostat. A basic thermostat automates temperature control by following a set program. A smart thermostat with AI could learn your preferences and adjust the temperature accordingly, even anticipating your needs based on the weather or time of day.

In short, automation gets the job done efficiently, while AI aspires to do it intelligently. They can be complementary forces, with AI guiding automation for a more nuanced and adaptable approach and automation allowing disparate AI capabilities to work more efficiently.

THROUGH A-EYES

I played around with a few Avatar apps with very mixed results! From wise old western woman to Pixar superhero, from elegant sophisticat to fresh-faced ingenue, I had plenty of personas to choose from - some definitely more appealing than others 😀 

FREE RESOURCES

CURIOUS CAT

CREATE YOUR FIRST AVATAR VIDEO

Synthesia and Hey Gen have free plans with plenty of scope for you to demonstrate your directorial prowess.

1. Pick your platform/sign up for the free plan

2. Write a short script with GPT-3 or Gemini (free) or any Assistant you choose

3. Pick a template or start from scratch (templates can be fiddly - I prefer a blank ‘slate’)

4. Pick an avatar

5. Select their voice

6. Slice up your script into scenes (the scene will last as long as it takes for the avatar to voice the script)

7. Start creating - it’s a little like making a slide presentation once you get the hang of it.

8. Play around, add other assets, and get familiar with the editing options.

9. Preview and download as MP4

10. Share :)

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