Avid AI Developments Showcased at HPA

Avid highlighted its industry leading thinking around the subjects of artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning (ML) for media production workflows at a high-profile event in California. Avid AI developments were showcased at the Hollywood Professional Association (HPA) Tech Retreat.

The 5-day annual event was held near Los Angeles, attracting hundreds of leaders from the creative, engineering and technology sector to explore and experience the most compelling topics around the creation, management, and dissemination of content. Avid VP of Product Management for Video and Media, David Colantuoni, and Avid Engineering Fellow, Rob Gonsalves, shared ongoing work the company is carrying out in a presentation entitled, “Review of AI/ML Production Workflows with a Focus on Recommendation Engines.”

David Colantuoni and Rob Gonsalves at the HPA Tech Retreat

They detailed research on a variety of topics including:

• Automatic speech recognition with AI
• Semantic text and image encoders
• Large language models (LLMs)
• LLMs and retrieval augmented generation (RAG)
• AI-based assistant for video editing systems
• Recommendation engine using LLM and semantic search

Colantuoni and Gonsalves demonstrated proofs of concept to highlight the practical implementation of these technologies within Avid products such as Media Composer and MediaCentral. You can view a demonstration of proof of concept work on the use of AI in MediaCentral here.

“Our presentation was well received and sparked a lot of discussion and conversation with Tech Retreat delegates,” Colantuoni says. “Our work in this field is resonating with customers and the industry at large, as we look to the best ways in which AI and ML technologies can be applied to assist the creative community.”

David Colantuoni addresses delegates at the HPA Tech Retreat

Avid’s approach is to use AI and ML capabilities as a co-pilot within its products and solutions, ensuring that the “human in the loop” i.e the user, is always in control of the final decision in the creative process. AI and ML can be harnessed to automate the mundane, eliminate efficiencies in the production process, and free up time for more creative thinking to deliver high quality shows, movies, songs, and more.

“AI is a hot topic among Avid customers in all areas of the media industry,” Gonsalves explains. “There’s tremendous interest in the potential applications of AI and ML within media content production. They're excited about the novel creative possibilities AI and ML could introduce and how these technologies can streamline workflows and enhance efficiency by automating time-consuming tasks."

The HPA presentation is the latest in a series Avid has made around the development of AI within the media industry. Avid’s Senior Director of Product Management Régis André recently addressed the European Broadcasting Union’s Product Technology Seminar in Geneva, Switzerland. Avid has adopted an open approach to the development of AI, keen to share information and collaborate with industry bodies seeking the most comprehensive approach to the subject.

Régis André at the EBU Production Technology Seminar

At the IBC trade show in Amsterdam, in September 2023, Avid launched Avid Ada, a framework of technologies which underpins the use of AI/ML across the Avid product portfolio.

“Avid Ada is the artistic digital assistant, that provides support to make workflows more efficient and bolster the creative process,” Colantuoni says. “A potent combination of human inspiration and artificial intelligence, Avid Ada elevates the creative process, taking care of redundant tasks so that you can focus on content creation and delivery.”

More Avid AI developments will be showcased at the NAB Show in Las Vegas, in April this year.

To find out more about Avid AI developments, why not check out www.avid.com/ada

AI Takes Center Stage at HPA Tech Retreat

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