Neural networks are changing the world, and the PR sphere is no exception. Imagine: you are communicating with a digital copy of a person who answers questions just like the original. This is exactly what happened when Alex Voica, Head of Corporate Affairs at Synthesia, introduced his interactive AI avatar. This is not just text generated by a neural network, but a real breakthrough that makes us think about the future of communications and how an interactive AI avatar can change our interaction with information.
Synthesia: from $100M ARR to creating digital twins
Synthesia is a major player in the AI avatar market, alongside companies like D-ID, HeyGen, and Colossyan. This year, the startup reached a valuation of $4 billion, and last year its annual recurring revenue (ARR) exceeded $100 million.
Their main task is to help businesses create interactive training videos using AI avatars. Synthesia recently launched Roleplay Sessions, a product that allows employees, for example, to practice sales presentations with an interactive AI avatar that provides feedback and evaluates their responses. This is no longer just generating 100 videos, but a full-fledged tool for learning and development.
How an AI journalist avatar is created: process and technologies
Creating a personal AI avatar is a fascinating process. I was offered to make my digital copy, and of course, I agreed. After all, it’s an opportunity to see how neuro-production by subscription works.
For this, I visited a mini-film studio in Synthesia’s office, where many photos were taken and a two-minute voice sample was recorded. Two types of avatars were created:
- Personal avatars: simply reproduce any given script.
- Interactive avatars: can listen and respond, trained on specific information.
“My mom called it ‘amazing,’ which is high praise from her. She and my father tried to ask questions ‘only they would know’ about me — but the model didn’t answer, redirecting them each time to a story about venture fraud. ‘I don’t remember giving birth to two of you,’ she joked after testing the model.”
My avatar’s technology stack includes Synthesia’s own video and voice models, but the company also allows clients to choose alternatives from other labs, such as Cartesia, ElevenLabs, Google, or OpenAI. Businesses can host their avatars on any cloud or pay Synthesia for hosting. This opens up endless possibilities for AI content production.
Technological Basis of the Interactive Avatar
The interactive avatar works thanks to a combination of several models:
- Voice-to-text: converts user speech into text.
- Agent language model: analyzes text and makes decisions based on it.
- Text-to-voice: generates an audio response.
- Video model (developed by Synthesia): animates the avatar during conversation.
This allows for the creation of an AI avatar with subtitles and AI voiceovers, making it ideal for AI video for advertising and mass video generation by neural network.
Synthesia Product Types: From Classic Avatars to API
Synthesia offers three main product types that make it possible to scale the impossible — now possible:
- Video creation and distribution platform: classic avatars that voice a given script. Ideal for creating AI commercials.
- Agent platform Sessions: interactive interaction with avatars in surveys or role-playing games.
- API platform: allows combining Synthesia’s video and voice models with other technologies to create unique interactive avatars and products. This opens the way for API mass generation and the creation of AI UGC for a crypto project.
The Future of Journalism and AI Avatars: Ethical Questions
Creating my avatar took several days. First, I tested personal avatars to assess voice quality. It turned out to be quite accurate, and I was glad it didn’t convey the hoarseness I had during the recording.
My friends, not involved in technology, found it interesting and a little scary. My interactive avatar turned out to be deterministic, meaning it only answered questions related to the topic it was trained on — my article on venture fraud. This raises important questions about the future of journalism.
- Will people be willing to watch news presented by avatars?
- Can avatars complement or even replace journalists?
- Will company executives want to communicate with an AI journalist avatar rather than a human?
The main aspect of journalism is trust, and it cannot be conveyed by AI. However, outside of journalism, the idea of cloning oneself can be very appealing. Imagine: you are resting, and your digital copy continues to work, answering questions. This is no longer fantasy, but a reality that allows for the creation of AI clips with face replacement and where a neural network writes scripts and edits. This is an AI video factory for e-commerce that can produce 500 videos per day.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much does 1 minute of AI video cost?
The cost of 1 minute of AI video can vary greatly depending on the chosen platform, the complexity of the avatar, the quality of the voiceover, and additional features. Synthesia offers various pricing plans that may include subscription-based neuro-production, making it accessible for different budgets. On average, the cost can start from a few dollars per minute and reach tens or even hundreds of dollars for customized solutions.
What is AI content production?
AI content production is the process of creating media content (video, audio, text, images) using artificial intelligence. This includes generating video from text, creating animated AI characters, AI voiceovers, and even scriptwriting. The goal is to automate and accelerate content creation, increasing its efficiency and reducing costs. This allows for achieving AI efficiency versus real UGC.
Where to order AI video for a crypto project?
For a crypto project, where speed and scalability are important, AI video production is an ideal solution. You can turn to platforms such as Synthesia, HeyGen, or Colossyan, which offer services for creating AI UGC for a crypto project. These companies provide tools for mass video generation by neural networks, creating AI avatars with subtitles, and quickly adapting content for various marketing campaigns. You can also use the mass generation API to integrate AI video into your own systems.
Conclusion
The world is changing, and neural networks are becoming an integral part of our lives. The creation of interactive AI avatars is not just a technological novelty, but a step into the future, where rendering and deepfake ethics become key concepts. Although I have mixed feelings about my digital twin, I see huge potential in this technology for business and communications.
We are on the verge of a new era, where the cost of one AI creative will be determined not by hours of work, but by the efficiency of algorithms. Join us to learn more about how AI is changing the world! Subscribe to our newsletter so you don’t miss new articles about future technologies.