In an exciting new series on artificial intelligence (AI) and emerging technologies, Avid, the makers of Pro Tools and Media Composer, explains how it is set to delve into the transformative potential of these cutting-edge advancements. This exclusive series aims to shed light on the company's efforts to harness the power of AI and support its customers in the ever-evolving media landscape.

For media companies worldwide, the question at the forefront of their minds is: What is Avid doing about artificial intelligence? Avid cite a decade-long involvement in AI, where Avid has integrated various forms of the technology into its products. The company has even established a dedicated research lab focused on maximizing the potential of new technologies. Their endeavors in the AI realm have yielded significant results, with three of their AI-related research projects recently published in the esteemed April 2023 issue of the Society of Motion Picture Television Engineers' SMPTE Motion Imaging Journal.

To shed light on Avid's AI initiatives and their impact on media production, two Avid media tech experts, Shailendra Mathur, Vice President of Architecture and Technology, and Rob Gonsalves, Engineering Fellow and AI enthusiast, share their insights in this new blog post. We have a summary below.

AI as a Creative Assistant, not a Replacement for Humans

One concern that often arises in discussions about AI is the fear of job displacement. However, Avid believes that AI is a transformative technology that will change the way jobs are performed rather than replace humans entirely. Avid's focus lies in leveraging AI as a creative assistant, enhancing efficiency and productivity. From generating ideas for movies to facilitating the production process, AI can assist at every step of content creation. Such advancements have the potential to foster the emergence of new processes within the media production landscape.

Are Avid Late To The AI Party?

Contrary to popular belief, Avid's involvement in AI spans a decade. The company was among the first to incorporate AI into its solutions, with products like PhraseFind and ScriptSync. Avid has also formed a strategic partnership with Microsoft, integrating Microsoft's Azure media indexer into its asset management solutions. This AI-powered tool automates the identification of elements such as logos and faces, along with providing transcriptions. Additionally, Avid has collaborated with alliance partners like x.news to deliver AI-assisted social media research, enabling journalists and producers to conduct more efficient topic-based investigations.

Over the years, Avid has conducted extensive research exploring the applications of AI in various areas of media production, including video editing, media ingest, analytics, automated metadata enhancement, music production and composition, archives, and on-location operations. The insights gained from this research not only inform Avid's product development roadmap but are also shared with the wider media industry.

What About Pro Tools?

Much of their work so far has found its way into video products, however we feel sure Avid will use their research and development to enhance Pro Tools.

What could this look like? For example, Black Magic Design has some excellent AI features built into the Fairlight section of Resolve, such as AI based audio cleanup and transcription. Audio can then be edited via text rather than in a conventional fashion – ideal for use on long form spoken word. It can also be used to search for audio on a timeline.