Synthesia 2.0 reinvents AI video creation for businesses
More and more businesses are turning to video content to support internal and external communications, simplify employee onboarding, and raise engagement with instructional content. Artificial intelligence (AI) company Synthesia may have the next tool for the boom.
After the company's April release of its new line of Expressive AI Avatars -- which display expressions, body language, and tone of voice based on the script a user uploads -- Synthesia is now expanding its offerings. On Monday, the company launched Synthesia 2.0, an end-to-end AI video creation platform for businesses.
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The platform aims to "reinvent every aspect of the video production and distribution process" with tools to create AI-generated videos at scale, according to the press release.
"It's no longer just about providing a tool for people to make AI video presentations. It's thinking about how we can help these businesses overcome these challenges," Alexandru Voica, Synthesia's head of corporate affairs and policy, told ZDNET.
Here are a few key features of Synthesia 2.0.
Personal AI Avatars
In Synthesia 2.0, users can create their avatars in two ways: by visiting a studio and shooting footage of themselves with HD cameras or by shooting footage at home on their phone or webcam. The new avatars will feature improved lip synchronization and natural-sounding voices. The new avatars will also let users replicate their voices in more than 30 languages.
AI Video Assistant
Synthesia's AI Video Assistant can already help with script writing. Users select a template, write their prompt, and upload any documents they have for context. They can also specify preferred tone of voice, length, and audience. AI Video Assistant will then create a draft of a video.
Starting next month in 2.0, AI Video Assistant will build brand elements like fonts, logos, and colors into each video for continuity across content. The assistant will also be able to bulk-create videos. Users will select their template and connect their knowledge base, such as a set of help center articles, and the assistant will generate a collection of videos.
AI Screen Recorder
This new feature creates seamless videos from screen recordings, automating the editing process with intuitive support. The feature aims to streamline the steps in making an instructional video with screen-recorded content, which normally means bouncing between several applications. In 2.0, "once the recording is done, the video is immediately available for editing, with the voiceover transcribed, perfectly matching the screen capture, and automatic zoom effects to emphasize key actions," the release explains. Users can also add their avatars to the video.
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AI-enabled tools like this can save teams time. "Nine out of 10 people can create their first video in less than 10 minutes, without prior experience," according to the press release. AI Screen Recorder will be available in the next few months, though Synthesia did not specify exactly when.
Personalized Video Player
Synthesia is building personalized video-viewing software with more advanced translation capabilities. Currently, Synthesia lets users translate their videos automatically into more than 120 languages; 2.0 upgrades this feature and reduces file management by using the source file to keep other language versions current. If users need to update their original video, Synthesia will automatically update other language versions for consistency, without making multiple files.
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Another feature is a video player with interactive and personalized real-time viewing experiences. Starting next month, users can share their videos via Synthesia's player, and they will automatically play in the viewer's language.
The company also teased future releases, including the next generation of its AI avatars. Later this year, Avatars will have full bodies and hands they can use to express themselves. "They will be able to have personalities and tell captivating stories by using the full range of body language available to humans," according to the press release.
If you're wondering if using synthetic avatars in your content is effective, one study found them to be as engaging as human presenters -- until participants started perceiving them as AI-generated.
Also coming later this year are interactive features in Synthesia's video player, including "clickable hotspots, embedded forms, quizzes, and personalized call-to-actions," the announcement states.
Safety
In keeping with Synthesia's safety and privacy guidelines, the company emphasized continued improvements with the launch of 2.0. According to the press release, the company is receiving its ISO/IEC 42001 certification, "the world's first standard for AI management, providing a structured way to manage risks and opportunities associated with AI, and balancing innovation with governance."