(Continued From Cover) 22 They’re feeling curiosity, too, as the vast majority of people don’t really understand what AI is. It is just a big toolbox with various tools (generative AI, translation, cloning, morphing, TTS, etc.), and we cannot talk about AI without knowing which tool will be used for a specific task. Folks are worried since we are still awaiting regulations in this realm. As regulation always comes after innovation, the E.U. is working on the AI Act (ETA 2025). This is a first step to having a true regulatory framework that will control the use of AI tools. And finally, there’s been lots of anger directed at AI, as actors and writers are not happy about unauthorized use of their voices without compensation. Besides the legal framework that is put in place, the absence of a true code of ethics underlines the incapacity to determine the real source of voices. Beyond these emotions, the real question is: What will the impact be on the business environment in an industry where AI will largely be used and what is the future for the world of localization (i.e., adapting content to another language using either subtitling or dubbing)? It seems obvious that technology will be a growing driver in our business, so, are the actors right to be so anxious? Acting is a creative skill. We act with our entire body and a huge array of emotions. As of today, no technology will replace a good actor delivering a multi-emotional performance in front of a microphone. Should we really worry about our business? History shows that technological advancements have been responsible for many processes and society changes. Past generations will remember these battles: tape vs. cassette, vinyl vs. CD, 35mm film vs. digital, violins vs. synthesizers, drums vs. drum machines, and so on. What happened in all these cases? Ease of use always won over quality. The same thing could happen with localization processes becoming shorter and simpler. AI can beat the world chess champion because it can quickly calculate all the possibilities after a play; but dubbing is not a suite of possibilities, it’s an interpretation. In fact, the technology tries to make our lives simpler and better, but vinyl is back, big movie directors continue to use film, and musicians still play and record. So, what is this telling us? Do we want a human-less localization process? We need to step away from this debate. Technology is a double-edged sword. It may put some actors out of work, but it could also help produce content that would never have been localized otherwise. It will also create new jobs as we all know that AI will not be able to handle a project by itself. As we have seen in past years, the emergence of post editors in machine translation (i.e., the computer programs that can automatically translate based on a large data collection), we’ll most likely see the need for reviewers and linguists in the AI process to refine its output. Well, the future is in our hands. As a dubbing enthusiast in love with great performances, I believe actors will still be dubbing and delivering amazing performances with the help of technology. It won’t replace them. (By Jacques Barreau) Jacques Barreau is VP, Media & Interactive Entertainment, at the Barcelona, Spain-based TransPerfect, an American provider of language and AI solutions for global business. Jacques Barreau, holding VideoAge Daily at MIPCOM, with VideoAge’s Dom Serafini Technology is a double-edged sword. It may put some actors out of work but it could also help produce content that would never have been localized otherwise. Miami TV Markets: The Race is on. It Actually Started in 2023 The word from the NATPE Global camp is that they’re not really competing with Content Americas since the Miami market is meant to be a global one, while Content focuses on Latin America. Meanwhile, the folks at Content Americas seem to believe that NATPE is simply a nuisance. Nonetheless, the two TV markets and conferences will be staged back to back — with Content taking place January 2023, 2025, and NATPE just after, February 5-7 — forcing many exhibitors and buyers to attend both events. The 11-day gap between the two markets will not be a problem for Miami-based companies, and will only be a minor problem for those in Mexico, Canada, and the Northeastern U.S. states (since they can fly back home at a lower cost than a hotel stay), but it could be a major problem for participants from Europe, Asia, Central, and South America. The fact that NATPE has added the popular Realscreen Summit to next year’s event could make the market more appealing. This year, the Summit, which is described as an unscripted and nonfiction conference, was held in New Orleans January 28-February 1. This, however, is causing some confusion since the Summit is now scheduled for February 3-5, and NATPE for February 5-7, but some participants (like WAWA, the Worldwide Audiovisual Women’s Association, and VideoAge, for example) are planning to treat it as one five-day market stretching from February 3 to February 7. As for the location, Content will take place at its traditional Hilton Miami Downtown, and NATPE/Realscreen at the InterContinental Miami. Both organizers — English publisher C21 for Content, and Canadian publisher Brunico for NATPE/Realscreen — have staying power and neither one is blinking, so it is difficult to predict which one will ultimately survive. Another unknown is how the slow elevator problem at Content Americas’ Hilton hotel will be solved since the success of the market’s first edition caused the floor traffic of its second edition to increase, creating long delays in reaching the exhibition suites. As for VideoAge, it will publish a monthly edition and one Daily for distribution at all three markets. VIDEOAGE November 2024 AI Reality Check
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