Synthetic Vs Authentic Media.
ynthetic vs authentic media is a topic soon to be on all of our tongues. This new debate has surfaced in accordance with the growing exposure of synthetic media on social platforms, in films, in music and primarily in marketing. However, when it comes to AI and marketing, there’s not much to debate about. Synthetic media certainly has its pros, but it lacks a core component that is innately present in authentic media. Continue reading below to learn more about synthetic vs authentic media. We’ll be covering the basics, the pros, the cons, and everything in-between!
What are Synthetic and Authentic Media?
In order to get a grasp on the synthetic and authentic media debate, you must first understand their definitions. Synthetic media is essentially artificially intelligent (AI) generated media. This type of media can come in the form of video, still images, animation, written work, audio, live video, and more. Furthermore, Synthetic media does not necessarily mean that the media was generated entirely through AI. In a lot of cases, there is still human influence. AI makes it possible to create large volumes of auto-generated content. Furthermore, synthetic media also allows companies to create deep fakes of human beings manifested through video, still images and audio recordings.
On the other hand, authentic media is any media that has been created by humans. For example, a video shot and edited by a real person. Or, a blog article that was written by an individual—not a robot. Authentic media is human by design and human in nature.
Synthetic and authentic media both present their own unique pros and cons. AI generated media is growing in popularity with the advent of NFTs and new deep learning mechanisms that are now able to capture the human essence in ways never seen before. However, like with all arguments, it’s important to know both sides of the story before you jump on the bandwagon.
“When it comes to connecting with other humans, no one does it quite like a human.”
The Pros of Synthetic Media.
There are several pros to synthetic media that make it an attractive option for business people and marketers. Especially, when it comes to cutting down on cost and upping your output. Computers are great at doing things over-and-over-and-over-and-over-and-over again. Humans will never be able to match a computer’s ability to perform repetitive tasks. This coupled with their knack for data collection, computing and data manipulation makes it possible for AI-generated media to be mass-produced. For instance, NFTs are a form of synthetic media created through code that can be programmed to generate thousands of variations of the same art. So, in the mass production category, synthetic media gets a 10/10.
In addition, because synthetic media can be generated through AI learning algorithms, it cuts down the cost of production. Especially, in industries like video production and animation. Typically, these industries have multiple people who are responsible for several different tasks. However, with synthetic media, you need far fewer people to reach your finished product.
Moreover, AI-generated media can help some companies create personalized ads and marketing campaigns that are targeted to each consumer. This is done through in-depth data collection and analysis. In many cases, synthetic media can be beneficial for social media influencers who need quick content creation on a frequent basis.
Synthetic media certainly has its pros. If you are looking for a high volume of production and lower cost of labour for your media, AI might be the right choice. However, when it comes to connecting with other humans, no one does it quite like a human 😉
The Cons of Synthetic Media.
The pros of synthetic media are limited, and much of that is due to the fact that humans like other humans way too much! People are quick to recognize when something appears robotic to the senses. In marketing and in business, it is important that you make a connection with your consumers. Understanding your clients and your target audience has a lot to do with emotion. Oftentimes, the most powerful marketing campaigns are created by a team of people. Unfortunately, (or fortunately) AI still cannot match a human’s ability to show empathy, exercise creativity, or communicate. This is an incredibly important fact to note.
For businesses that require a close relationship with clients, synthetic media marketing is not the answer to your problems. The same thing goes for industries like real estate where the environment is highly personal. Human-centred professions are better off using authentic media marketing because it caters to the human senses.
Furthermore, creative works are best left to the people of the world—not the computers. AI lacks creativity in many regards. Some of the most famed works of art are popular because of the emotion and passion behind them. These are two qualities that a computer does not possess.
Additionally, synthetic media is less effective for older audiences than their younger counterparts. In general, younger audiences are more receptive to AI-generated content. It should also be noted that synthetic media has more ethical and moral implications.
Things to Consider Before Replacing Your Human Marketers.
Before you make the choice to go full robot with your next marketing campaign, we want you to considering the following:
Humans are emotional creatures, and will therefore make decisions based on emotions. If your auto-generated content sounds at all robotic, there’s good chance it will simply be ignored. Why, you may ask? The answer is simple. There is no feeling attached to the work. In order to make an impact on your audience and build trust there needs to be a human behind the scenes.
If your content can make someone feel empowered or enhance their trust in you or laugh, then you’re on the right track. Computers and synthetic media are certainly valuable. And, there are most definitely times where AI will be no match for a person’s capabilities. However, when it comes to developing meaningful marketing campaigns, connecting with people, building relationships and making art, humans reign supreme. So, let’s leave the computing to the computers and creativity to the people.
At Atomic 55 we specialize in marketing for humans, done by humans. Contact us today for more information about our services. We look forward to connecting with you soon!
