Sora: All about text-to-video AI and what it could mean for businesses
Read on to learn about OpenAI’s text-to-video model Sora, and what potential it could hold for customer experiences.
Imagine being able to take an idea, or even a dream you had, and transforming it into a video in a matter of minutes.
OpenAI has released its latest AI model, Sora, that can take text prompts and transform them into videos. From script to screen, Open AI claims that Sora melds AI with video production, giving users a cutting-edge tool to create video content with.
Let’s explore the world of Sora and text-to-video AI, what exactly it is, and what it can mean for businesses and communication with customers.
What is Sora and text-to-video AI?
Sora is an AI-powered technology developed by OpenAI, that can create unique video content, up to one minute long, from text prompts – aka text-to-video AI. Currently in its BETA phase, film makers, content producers, artists, and other professionals have been given early access to provide feedback on how to improve Sora.
This breakthrough caters to professionals seeking to produce rich multimedia content without the need for extensive resources.
Text-to-video AI models combine the understanding of large language models with visual creativity, bridging the gap between written words and visual storytelling.
The hope is that with text-to-video AI, users can revolutionize how they create content, whether it’s repurposing content from a blog post or reimagining scenes from the Roman Empire for a classroom tight on resources. The goal of training such models is to enable the creation of unique content stemming from simple descriptions of events.
Examples of what Sora text-to-video AI can do
Sora can generate complex scenes, with multiple elements and objects and can even understand how those objects exist together in the world to make an accurate video.
Take a look at this example published by OpenAI of a video published by Sora:
Prompt: A litter of golden retriever puppies playing in the snow. Their heads pop out of the snow, covered in it.
Notice how simple the prompt is. Without any additional details Sora can accurately depict how the snow should move when the puppies are playing, and how their fur moves as well. These are details we can envision in our minds and are logical elements that make the video realistic, but not something one might think to add in a video brief.
But Sora comes with some limitations. Take this video for example:
Prompt: Step-printing scene of a person running, cinematic film shot in 35mm.
In this example, Sora has created a physically improbable movement – forward running backwards on a treadmill.
Sora struggles with some aspect ratios and complex descriptions but is still able to create stunning videos with one sentence prompts.
How will text-to-video AI impact customer experience?
The experiences customers have with brands greatly impact their decision to re-purchase, recommend, and remain loyal. That’s why customer experience is at the heart of many communication strategies. Brands are looking for innovative ways to interact with customers, offering them unique, personalized, and convenient services.
We’ve seen the impact new technology, particularly AI, has had on customer experiences over the last year. OpenAI’s ChatGPT has opened the door to businesses using GenAI in daily communication with customers. Many brands have had success with implementing AI into their communication.
Take a look at two brands that are revolutionizing customer interactions in their industries with the help of AI:
Text-to-video AI like Sora also has the potential to elevate the way brands and customers interact.
Quickly creating dynamic videos from simple text prompts can allow for richer communication over channels like WhatsApp, Viber, RCS, and so on without the need for major video resources. Brands could quickly provide a personalized video answering a customer’s specific query or explaining a product feature, rather than send a standard text message.
This would not only make communication more engaging but also aid in comprehensibility, especially for complex instructions or concepts that could be easily explained using visuals.
Potential use cases for text-to-video AI generation
Although Sora is not yet available for everyone to try, we can already start to imagine where this text-to-video AI could be harnessed across a variety of use cases.
Customer support or technical assistance
The use of video could simplify complex query resolution. AI-generated videos can visually guide customers through trouble-shooting steps or product usage, making support interactions more intuitive and user-friendly. Customers wouldn’t have to wait in queues on the phone or try to understand text message instructions.
For example, in theory if a customer sends a message over WhatsApp that their water heater is showing an error code, customer support can take that inquiry and feed it to Sora, adding that the video needs to show the solution on how to reset the water heater. Then a video could be produced that visually shows the customer how to address their query, saving the customer time, and the brand money from sending a technician for a simple fix.
Onboarding
New customers can be welcomed with personalized videos that outline how to best use the services or products, enhancing their initial experience and reducing early-stage inquiries.
Imagine a new customer has registered for a loyalty card, Sora could create a personalized video welcoming the new customer and showcasing the benefits of the loyalty card and how to get the most out of the program. This could be much more engaging than a long message with instructions and guidelines that many customers would never read.
Product registration
Registering products can be simplified with a quick video walk-through, leading to higher completion rates and customer satisfaction.
Many customers don’t know that they should register some products. For example, if a customer purchases a new SmartTV, by registering their product they could unlock benefits, memberships, and easily access their warrantee. This could all be simply explained in a video produced by text-to-video AI and sent to customers after their purchase.
Personalized marketing campaigns
Businesses can send out personalized marketing videos to their customers, with content tailored to their preferences or behaviors, which has the potential to increase engagement and conversion rates.
Imagine you are a bridal salon owner, and you run a campaign for new accessories for your Spring collection. If text-to-video AI continues to develop and evolve, you could create a targeted campaign for brides who have purchased their dress with you. The video could showcase their specific dress with new accessories, veils, or shoes that would complete the look – encouraging the customer to return and improving loyalty.
New product features
Demonstrations of new products or features can be quickly generated as informative videos to showcase innovations and educate customers on their use.
Product updates easily get lost in inboxes. So, picture this: when new features are launched for a smart watch, instead of sending a personalized email or long message about the new updates, send an engaging video ad that showcases everything it can do. This can help improve engagement and is more likely to get customers to better understand the new features if visually represented.
A new age of customer communication?
We’ve mentioned just some examples of how text-to-video AI can be used for businesses. The possibilities and creativity with use cases are endless, and with new technologies emerging, the boundaries are being pushed even further.
Sora’s goal is clear: to drive AI content creation into the future while maintaining ethical standards that filter out hateful content. With OpenAI’s initial announcement and ongoing updates, business owners, artists, marketeers, and other professionals are gearing up for a new age of how AI can impact content creation.
For businesses, embracing Sora and text-to-video AI to improve customer experiences can create a competitive edge with the production of high-quality video content that can captivate customers and open the door to new innovations in this digital age.
AI, as impressive as it is, still comes with risks. It is the responsibility of brands and solution providers to ensure that users are safe and respected with the use of AI, and that hallucinations or false outputs are eliminated. With the right AI solution provider, your brand can seamlessly integrate AI into your communication stack while remaining compliant and ethical in all communication with customers – be it text or video.
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