Synthesia, a London-based startup, has announced a major update to its platform, Synthesia 2.0, aimed at enhancing video-first communication initiatives for enterprises. The update includes the introduction of full-body avatars capable of a range of motions and an interactive video experience that allows users to create AI videos with engaging elements. The company has also unveiled an AI screen recorder to simplify the creation of how-to videos for businesses. While not all features will be available right away, Synthesia plans to roll them out over the coming months.
The goal of Synthesia is to provide businesses with a faster way to transition from text-based content to more captivating video content. The platform allows enterprises to create custom AI voices and avatars and combine them with pre-written or AI-produced scripts to generate AI videos. With over 55,000 businesses already using Synthesia, including Zoom, Dupont, Heineken, and Electrolux, the company has continuously improved its AI avatars to make them more realistic and emotive. Recently, Synthesia introduced the Express-1 model, which enables avatars to understand context and sentiment and adjust their tone and facial expressions accordingly.
The latest update focuses on enhancing the storytelling aspect of the avatars by expanding their range of motion. By incorporating the full range of body language available to humans, including hand movements, the avatars can create more captivating stories. To achieve this, Synthesia captured data from thousands of people worldwide to train large video and audio foundation models. Users will also have complete control over the avatars’ appearance, with the ability to specify their appearance with images and videos and create animations with skeleton sequences.
In addition to improving avatar creation, Synthesia is introducing the ability for users to use their webcams or mobile cameras with natural backgrounds, making their personal AI avatars look more authentic. This feature will be particularly useful for tutorials. The personal avatars recorded will have better lip synchronization and a more natural voice, with the ability to translate voice into over 30 languages.
Synthesia is also revolutionizing how video content is consumed with its new interactive video player. Users can integrate clickable hotspots into their content, allowing viewers to take action by clicking on elements such as forms, calendars, quizzes, or specific sections of the video they want to see. The company plans to debut this feature in the coming months, starting with the ability to change the language and displayed content of the video.
Another notable addition is the AI screen recorder, which captures everything happening on a screen and generates a professional-grade AI video complete with audio and transcription. Users can then customize the video by adding their avatar and automatic zoom effects to highlight key actions. They can also edit the script as needed.
Synthesia 2.0 also includes incremental improvements such as the ability to add brand kits to incorporate brand language and identity in videos, as well as the option to generate content in bulk using the company’s AI-powered video assistant. Collaboration capabilities have been enhanced, allowing multiple users to work on video projects simultaneously, and a one-click translation experience has been improved, enabling users to create and maintain just one version of a video while translations are done automatically.
With these new capabilities, Synthesia aims to further solidify its position in the enterprise market. While there are competitors in this space, such as Deepbrain AI, Rephrase, and HeyGen, Synthesia’s focus on consent, moderation, and collaboration sets it apart. The success of Synthesia 2.0 will be determined by how well it meets the needs of businesses looking to enhance their video-first communication initiatives.