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The rise and impact of generative AI tools like ChatGPT and Midjourney
If artificial intelligence has been in the news since 2022, and the explosion we experienced during the launch of ChatGPT, this discipline is not new. “ The deployment of the ChatGPT tool at the end of 2022 made the difference in its adoption by the general public. He has succeeded in changing the way we do things in many areas », analyzes Thomas Cheneseau, deputy academic director of the Design and Digital division of SKOLAE, which brings together the schools of the GES-Eductive Network, such as ECITV And ICAN who train in digital communication and digital design professions.
With generative AI tools such as ChatGPT, Midjourney and Runway, we are witnessing a real acceleration in the way we create content, because it becomes easier to generate text, images, videos, music, and even ideas. These AIs allow users to produce more quickly and be more efficient in carrying out a large number of tasks. Same observation in the field of image, this time with the Midjourney tool, which also had a very strong impact on design professionals.
Midjourney V6, which was released in early 2024, is even more photo-realistic. The tool has reached such a stage that it can only improve, which has the consequence of calling into question our methods of practice and design, particularly in audiovisual, media, communication. and design.
For the deputy academic director of the Design and Digital division of SKOLAE, the digital revolution sparked by generative AI tools specialized in images and video also constitutes a fundamental movement in our society. “ We are moving towards new aesthetics and cultural objects that did not exist before. This is a real advantage, particularly in the field of design and digital communication.. » With one caveat to remember: the practice of AI remains quite recent and is not yet covered by the European Parliament’s AI Act.
Many agencies and major brands have set up labs to test and adopt the best ways to use artificial intelligence in the video production chain, such as the new (Ai)magination studio from the FRED & agency. FARID. We are only at the beginning of the deployment of these new tools in the communication and design professions, Thomas Cheneseau wishes to qualify.
The limits of artificial intelligence and its uses
But it is important to keep in mind the limitations of these tools, such as the ChatGPT database which does not include recent events, its lack of sources or its reliability problem. “ We teach our students how to moderate content produced by this type of tool. You should never reuse it in its raw form, as you receive it, because it is impersonal and may contain errors. »
Beyond the many advantages it brings, artificial intelligence above all gives food for thought to teachers and students alike. “ We are raising awareness by deploying courses on artificial intelligence in our schools. For them, it is about understanding where technology comes from, how it works, what its biases are and how it can be useful to us. » To make good use of it, future digital communication professionals must practice and update themselves regularly because these new technologies at their disposal evolve very quickly.
These tools invite us to revisit the idea we have of the machine and to imagine new ways of interacting with technology, which may seem quite paradoxical, but that is the whole challenge of our professions in digital communication, warns Thomas Cheneseau.
Generative AI in fact asks students who wish to pursue this path as well as people undergoing professional retraining to “reiterate”, by reformulating its prompts and re-appropriating the material received, to push AI even further. .
With practice, we can still quickly detect when a phrase is generated by ChatGPT or an image is created with Midjourney. The artificial aspect of this content quickly becomes apparent, a bit like a spelling mistake in a text. Our learners must therefore be sufficiently experienced, understand how the machine works, to be able to detect its inaccuracies and go beyond the simple results generated thanks to AI.
Train to learn how to properly use AI in digital communication
Learners in this sector generally have good knowledge or have already been able to use generative AI tools, such as ChatGPT or the My AI conversational bot on Snapchat. But they are not necessarily aware of the transformation of content and its consequences in terms of deep fake or disinformation. “ When I broach this subject in class, I talk to them about fake news but also about what we call the post-truth of images, that is to say the question of knowing if we are in reality or in the virtual. » For this, SKOLAE and the schools of the GES and Eductive Network encourage their students to brainstorm with these tools, but keeping in mind that they only constitute an aid to the production of content, and should not impose themselves on the detriment to their reflection and critical thinking.
It is in this context that the teaching of artificial intelligence has been integrated into the heart of ECITV programs, as in its bachelor digital marketing. “ Our AI courses are not just simple workshops or a masterclass. This theme is now part of our digital communication courses thanks to in-depth work carried out by the teaching team on this subject. »And, from the start of the 2024 school year, the Institute of Digital Creation and Animation (ICAN) is adding a specialized “AI designer” course to its catalog, with a cycle bachelor And master.
This is the first training of this type which offers the possibility of learning good practices in AI, but also how to create your own artificial intelligence.
To go even further, Thomas Cheneseau created an AI innovation committee within SKOLAE, in order to discuss with members about advances in artificial intelligence and to identify how the tools can positively impact work. of all the players in the group. “ While we wait for AI legislation to be passed by Parliament, we are currently working the creation of a charter for the use of AI with a view to guiding educational practices. » The objective of this charter on AI: to make its uses clearer through the prism of ethics and legality, and thus obtain a more complete vision of the technology.
Whether at ECITV or to ICAN, we bring together in these 2 schools the most efficient teams on all questions related to AI. By joining us, you are guaranteed to be able to work and exchange with the best experts in this field.
