AI is becoming exceptionally good at making videos, and the growth of video is an important channel for business, so read on to learn how to use GenAI to create videos for training, ads, or other purposes. There’s a tool that can help with even fun videos of your family.

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Sentiment Analysis

Last week, I dove into the wild world of AI-generated content and why it's not going anywhere. It's a bit of a double-edged sword, really. On one hand, you've got the convenience and creativity boost. On the other hand, there are some pretty scary potential downsides.

Take this, for instance: A political consultant just got slapped with a $6 million fine and a heap of criminal charges for sending out AI-generated robocalls that mimicked President Joe Biden's voice. And with elections on the horizon, it's a safe bet that this deep-fake drama is just getting started.

Meanwhile, over in Ukraine, they've gone the other way and introduced Victoria Shi, an AI avatar who’s now moonlighting as a foreign ministry ambassador. It's a bold move, showcasing just how integrated AI is becoming in our world.

So, like it or not, AI-generated content is here to stay. Buckle up, because this ride is only going to get crazier!

The Bet

Here’s the bet. If you spend 20 minutes a week reading my newsletter, I bet you will save at least three times that over a year in your professional life (probably a lot more, but you tell me). If you like what you read, forward this to a colleague (or ten). I have created a referral program to reward those of you who are willing to do this.

Just one referral will get you a picture of my dog! Yep, that’s right—a picture of my dog. Maybe there’s an AI Easter egg in there too, but if you want to receive this special prize or love dogs, forward this newsletter and help someone get smarter on AI.

Get five referrals, and I’ll highlight your company or organization in my newsletter. Get 25 and I’ll give you a free AI consultation (a $500 value).

AI TL;DR

Generative AI News, Tips, and Apps

• Google AI Overviews: Now You See It, Now You Don't -Here's a fun twist: Google's AI Overviews have taken a serious nosedive in visibility. Once upon a time, these handy snippets showed up for a whopping 84% of queries. But now? They're only popping up less than 15% of the time.

  

  Google AI Overview at the top of the Search Engine Results Page (SERPs)

  Part of the hype was that these AI Overviews were going to revolutionize search as we know it. But here's the kicker: They probably started to hurt search advertising. Fewer clicks on ads mean less revenue, and Google doesn’t want to feel feel the bite of less revenue. So, the once ubiquitous AI Overviews are now a rare sighting.

• According to the Wall Street Journal, the AI Revolution is already losing steam. And they are nailing some very important issues: the pace of innovation in AI is slowing, its usefulness is limited, and the cost of running it remains exorbitant. All fair criticisms, but I am still bullish. I saw the same thing happen in the late 1990s with the adoption of the consumer internet, then suffered the dotcom bubble, and now today the internet is a critical piece of my life. The road to get here, though, has had its share of bumps; the same will go for AI.

• Google Veo: At Google I/O 2024 in May, Google announced Veo, a new AI video-synthesis model that can create HD videos from text, images, or video prompts, similar to OpenAI's Sora. It can generate 1080p videos lasting over a minute and edit videos from written instructions. However, it has not yet been released for broad use, but you can sign up for the waitlist for their VideoFX service.

Feature Story

How to use AI for Business Videos

As a marketer and businessperson, I have avoided video. It has been complicated, hard to do well, and time-consuming.

Also, I have a face for radio. 📻

But as we become more video-centric thanks to YouTube, TikTok, and Instagram Reels, I’ve dipped my toe in the water.

I’ve been interested in video since OpenAI demoed its Sora platform. I think AI will win an Academy Award someday.

Anyhow, I’ve been looking at adding more videos to my social presence and am working on running ads for both my newsletter and customers. I did some research, and the buzz was that video ads on Meta are some of the best value for ads for my purposes right now. So, I will be working on them in the upcoming weeks.

Video is Crucial Online, and AI can Assist

I don’t watch much TV, but I consume most of my content on my computer or phone. I am not alone. If you want to reach 46.9% of the population, you’ll want to spend some time creating and distributing digital video. According to eMarketer, 3.78 billion people will watch digital video content in 2024.

That’s why I am getting smarter at creating content with AI.

• 82% of consumers have decided to purchase a product or service after watching a marketing video.

• 1/3 of all online activity consists of consuming videos 

• The video advertising ad spend market in the United States is projected to reach $84.61 billion in 2024, up from $76.97 billion in 2023

• According to Synthesia, modern AI tools reduced the average training video production time by 8 days (62%).

Foundational Tools for Creating Videos with AI

Everywhere you look, there’s a new tool for solving myriad problems with AI. However, most of them aren’t that good. In contrast, these two AI video creation software products are especially useful and can provide the quickest and most value for the time invested. They are part of my AI toolbox.

Synthesia

Synthesia is a powerful AI video creation platform that allows you to generate videos using realistic AI avatars, or they can create a video avatar for you to generate videos. Here’s the rundown on Synthesia.

• AI avatar creation with customizable appearance, voice, and lip-syncing

• Text-to-video generation with AI voice overs in over 120 languages

• Ability to incorporate your branding, visuals, and video clips

• Suitable for creating training videos, product demos, and promotional content

Here’s what I like about Synthesia, If you need to update videos with new facts and figures, you can do a text search and replace the talk track and the slides without trying to film from scratch. This is a huge time saver for companies that need to update frequent training documents with new features and version numbers.

RunwayML

RunwayML is an AI video editing and creation tool that uses machine learning models for tasks like background removal, video upscaling, and text-to-video generation. Runway is a very powerful video creation and editing suite. I’ve been using Runway to create video shorts for some of my social media posts, with good results.

• AI-powered video editing tools like object removal, background replacement, and video enhancement

• Text-to-video generation for creating videos from scripts or outlines

• Integration with popular video editing software, like Adobe Premiere Pro

I am using Runway to create motion ads with fixed text in the front and floating video in the back. This has been a unique way to create ads that match my brand.

Here’s an example of a video I created for a post on LinkedIn. The music was actually created with Suno.ai 

Other Tools that Automate Video Generation

In addition to the tools mentioned earlier, like Synthesia and RunwayML, here are some other popular AI-powered text-to-video generators.

• Fliki: Fliki converts text into dynamic videos and audio, leveraging cutting-edge AI technologies. Fliki offers a library of lifelike voice options, allowing users to choose accents and tones that perfectly match their brand. The platform also provides customizable video templates and automated scene generation to streamline production. Additionally, Fliki supports multilingual content creation, making it an invaluable tool for reaching global audiences with minimal effort.

• Pictory: Pictory is an innovative AI-powered platform that transforms text into engaging videos with minimal effort. Pictory offers a library of stock footage, images, and music, enabling users to create visually appealing content quickly. The platform's advanced AI tools automate video creation by generating scenes, adding voiceovers, and incorporating subtitles, making the production process seamless. Pictory also supports branding customization, allowing users to add logos, colors, and fonts to match their brand identity. With its user-friendly interface and robust features, Pictory is an invaluable tool for businesses and creators looking to produce high-quality videos efficiently.

• VEED: VEED is an intuitive online video editing platform that empowers users to create, edit, and share videos effortlessly. Utilizing advanced AI technologies, VEED offers a comprehensive suite of tools, including auto-subtitles, translations, and video effects, to enhance content creation. The platform supports various video formats and provides customizable templates, enabling users to produce professional-quality videos quickly.

The Barrier to Entry for Video just got Lower

If you want to create a video, it no longer requires deep multimedia skills. AI is providing a way for everyone to be a creator. While I am not on track to become the next Francis Ford Coppola, I now have a toolbox to help me reach broader audiences for my brand and clients.

Prompt of the Week

Prompt of the Week: Create a Script for Video

I’ve been using Synthesia for a while to generate videos but it’s part of a workflow. Most often, I create a script in ChatGPT, then use that script to build my PowerPoint using Gamma.app. After that, I upload the script to Synthesia to generate a video. I can choose an avatar, and then it creates easily maintainable videos. I can “reshoot” quickly.

How to Use This Prompt:

Cut and paste this prompt into ChatGPT. It will then generate a suggested set of slides with visuals suggested for each. You could then proceed by cutting and pasting this into Gamma or by asking ChatGPT to create the slides. I’ll add a bonus prompt for that after the main prompt.

To create a PowerPoint using VBA, ask ChatGPT to provide the VBA code for the presentation. Then, inside PowerPoint, open the Tools menu, click Macros, and select Visual Basic Editor. From there, create a new module, copy and paste your code, and click the Run button inside the Visual Basic Editor.

Write theVBA code for this presentation that can be downloaded to create the presentation. 

I appreciate your support.

BONUS CONTENT: The AI Boost 

Perplexity Pages

I stopped using Google months ago and am doing all my research using Perplexity. Last week, Perplexity introduced Pages, which enables you to curate, organize, and share information using AI-assisted search. It seems to be a good place to collect research, and I will see if it is the best way to start writing my newsletter in the future.

Using Perplexity, I can curate a bunch of useful information, which I’ll then use to create a draft using ChatGPT. We’ll see how this all works out.

You can find structured, nicely formatted articles on any topic through a series of searches.

• Customizable: Tailor the tone of your Page to resonate with your target audience, whether you're writing for general readers or subject matter experts. The best way to prompt this is not clear.

• Adaptable: You can modify the sections and move them around, but the annoying part is that you can't retitle a section; it comes from your original query to Perplexity.

• Visual: Enhance your articles with visuals generated by Pages, uploaded from your collection, or sourced online. This is where Perplexity falls down; it just sticks images from a search, or you can upload your own. I'd prefer to see it generate images with context using AI.
  
  Perplexity Pages reminds me of Seth Godin's website, Squidoo. Squidoo was a revenue-sharing article-writing site. Articles were called "lenses." In 2010, the site consisted of 1.5 million lenses. I don't know if this will be something like that or not. But it feels similar.
  
  For now, it's not a bad way to curate content for doing research and then sharing it. I created a curated page on AI Agents and will play around with it.