Synthetic media
Also called AI-generated media, AI-generated content, AIGC
What is synthetic media?
Synthetic media is any image, video, audio or text that has been created or significantly altered by AI rather than captured or written by a person. It includes AI-generated photos, AI voiceovers, AI music, digital avatars and generated video clips. It is the umbrella term for everything generative AI produces.
Most synthetic media is ordinary and open: a generated backdrop, a text to speech narration, an AI-made music bed. A small part of it is deceptive, and the most harmful form, a realistic fake of a real person, is called a deepfake.
Because synthetic media is getting harder to tell from real footage, platforms and regulators increasingly ask for disclosure. Technical answers include invisible AI watermarks and content credentials, which record how a file was made.
Why synthetic media matters
Synthetic media makes content production much cheaper, which is why most marketing teams now use some. It also raises questions about trust: audiences react badly when they feel misled about what is real.
Knowing the platform rules matters. Meta, TikTok and YouTube ask creators to label realistic AI content in some cases, and some ad categories have stricter rules. Labeling correctly avoids takedowns and keeps credibility.
How to use synthetic media responsibly
- Use AI for things that do not pretend to be real evidence: backdrops, music, narration, illustrations.
- Use real photos for real products, results and customers.
- Follow each platform's AI labeling rules when content looks realistic.
- Keep content credentials and metadata on files where your tools support it.
- Get consent before synthesizing anyone's face or voice.
Synthetic media FAQ
Do I have to label AI-generated content on social media?
Major platforms ask you to label realistic AI content, especially content that shows real people or events. Rules differ by platform and change often, so check each platform's current policy.
Is an AI voiceover synthetic media?
Yes. Any speech generated by AI is synthetic media. A plain narration of your own script is a normal, low-risk use.
Related terms
Generative AI is artificial intelligence that creates new text, images, audio or video from a prompt, based on patterns learned from training data.
A deepfake is AI-generated or AI-altered video, audio or images that realistically show a real person saying or doing something they did not.
Content credentials are tamper-evident metadata, based on the C2PA standard, that record who made a file, with which tools and whether AI was used.
An AI watermark is a visible mark or hidden signal embedded in AI-generated content so software can later identify it as AI-made.
An AI avatar is a computer-generated person or character that can speak a script on video, with lip movements synced to an AI or recorded voice.
Brand safety is protecting a brand's reputation by keeping its ads and content away from harmful contexts and its own content free of risky claims.