Synthetic Media

Any media—images, video, audio, or text—generated or substantially modified by AI rather than captured or created by humans.

Synthetic media encompasses any content—images, video, audio, or text—that is generated or significantly altered using artificial intelligence.

Types

• Fully synthetic: Created entirely by AI (Midjourney images, Suno music)
• Hybrid: Real content modified by AI (face swaps, voice cloning)
• AI-assisted: Human-created with AI enhancement (upscaling, editing)

Applications

• Entertainment: Visual effects, virtual influencers
• Accessibility: Text-to-speech, dubbing
• Education: Historical recreations, training simulations
• Marketing: Personalized content at scale

Challenges

The rise of synthetic media raises questions about authenticity, consent, copyright, and the information ecosystem. Provenance and watermarking standards are emerging to address attribution.