How Artificial Intelligence Is Redefining The Video Industry
Although many people hear the term “artificial intelligence” and immediately picture human-like robots and self-driving cars roaming our communities, AI technology is being implemented in an increasingly expansive range of fields. The video sector is already experimenting with utilizing AI in virtually all aspects of the business, thereby providing an initial glimpse into the potential for a radically different future for the entire industry.
Artificial Intelligence Conducting Video Tasks
Most of us are familiar with drones from their use in the military and for recreational fun in the park. However, this technology is also set to improve filming in surprising ways. Advanced devices such as the DJI Phantom 4 Pro drone are capable of incredible feats that carry the potential to increase the efficiency and accuracy of camera work. The newest drone models can follow a subject automatically while keeping them perfectly centered in the frame at all times. Furthermore, this technology can avoid obstacles without any human intervention through the utilization of multi-directional sensors.
If the industry at large moves into using cameras that operate without a person at the controls, this will have a significant effect on video editing, as a human camera operator typically marks important takes and moments during the filming process to save time when it comes to editing. However, tech leaders are already deeply involved in the development of AI-powered editing tools that can search through footage to find highlights and other moments automatically, thereby creating the ability to position AI and machine learning in the editing chair.
Digital distribution is another core aspect of the video industry that is set to evolve through the use of artificial intelligence. The massive quantity of internet video makes it increasingly difficult to effectively categorize content to ensure that it’s reasonably easy to find in a search. Once again, the technology is on the cusp of solving this growing concern. One example comes from a film digitalization platform developed by AI startup Clarifai through a partnership with Vintage Cloud. With the aim of automating the process of film content classification and categorization, this platform not only dramatically accelerates the speed at which objects in a movie can be classified but also saves a massive number of human work hours at the same time.
Saving Time in Video Content and Metadata Management
Artificial intelligence technology is capable of completing tasks in a minuscule fraction of the time required for a person. This statement is particularly relevant when it comes to the extensive job of tagging and cataloging video content. Through the use of advanced intelligent tools in combination with manual processes, metadata can not only be entered at a much quicker pace but can also be auto-tagged using Object Recognition and Face/Location Recognition technologies, thereby enhancing metadata to increase the power of content discovery. The overall tasks involved in video content management can be greatly assisted with AI technology, and while people are still required for much of the decision-making, automation tools can save enormous amounts of time and strengthen accuracy.
Can AI Truly Improve the Industry?
As artificial intelligence increasingly intertwines with many aspects of video production and distribution, some question the value of this technology, while raising concerns about the potential loss of the very things that make our industry unique.
Here’s an example: ScriptBook is an AI company with the goal to change how movies are greenlit. This controversial software analyzes screenplays in several ways to determine factors that include its rating, target audience and predicted box office gross. The idea is to reduce the risk involved in approving films by using AI to predict the success of a project before a studio agrees to move forward. While this technology carries the potential to decrease the number of films that are surprisingly disappointing in regard to revenue, there’s also the possibility that it will prevent the creation of movies that break radically new ground artistically, whereas human decision-makers may be capable of seeing this potential and taking the necessary risks to bring monumental films to fruition.
At the same time, when it comes to the filming, editing, and distribution processes, it appears clear that AI and ML are capable of saving massive amounts of human resources, thereby reducing the budgets required for making feature-length films and television shows without any loss of value. As is the case in every industry, resistance to new technology exists whether it’s valid or not, and over time I expect to see an increasing number of tasks being either entirely conducted or at least assisted by AI-driven tools.
Challenges and Goals
One of the many challenges when applying artificial intelligence is the question of accountability. In other words, if things go awry, who’s responsible? It’s very early in the game, and the necessary regulations simply aren’t in place yet. This reality is slowing down the implementation of AI in many industries, from self-driving cars to film and TV. However, work on these problems is certainly progressing, and the hope is that clear and comprehensive governance will be commonplace in the not-too-distant future.
Additionally, fears about the potential loss of jobs to automated solutions are rampant throughout our communities, as a growing number of sectors work toward providing services and products that require a decreasing amount of human labor. However, many experts believe that the opposite is true. For example, Gartner predicts that AI technology will exist in the majority of new software products by 2020, yet its implementation will create more jobs than it eliminates. Also, with Tractica forecasting global AI software revenue to reach $89.8 billion by the year 2025, I believe that artificial intelligence will not only improve the processes involved in the video industry but will also create exciting new jobs throughout our sector, leading to revolutionary improvements in the world of visual entertainment.
What are your thoughts about AI in the video industry? Please share your opinions in the comments below.
By Max Kalmykov
VP, Media & Entertainment at DataArt
