As India’s digital market and mediascape continues its stratospheric rise, among the host of factors contributing to this ascent, are what have come to be known as the 3 Vs: Voice, Video, and Vernacular. As the world’s most populous country, with close to 700 million internet users, who still only account for less than half of India’s population, and another 200 million people expected to come online by 2025, audiovisual content is king. And that particular segment has come under the sway of emerging technologies, not least of which is Artificial Intelligence.

Generative AI, the present belle of the ball, is being harnessed by brands across various industries across the globe, and in India, to enhance customer experiences, streamline operations, and deliver personalized content. As the technology continues to advance at rapid measures, brands are likely to explore further innovative ways to leverage generative AI for their business growth and digital transformation.

“Imagine a world where you can write a song like Gulzar, or an Anand Bakshi, but sing it like Beyoncé. Well, now you don’t have to. All you would ever need is a sense of the theory that goes behind all this and systems that can handle your inane go at the prompts for the AI to do its magic. Having said that, Generative AI has significant potential to drive India's digital media transformation across voice, video, and vernacular domains,” observes Sujai Chandan, Creative Director South, FoxyMoron, Zoo Media.

Vivek Kumar Anand, Chief Business Officer, DViO Digital, points out that the key promise of generative AI is to streamline virtually any everyday language- or process-driven task. “Just think about it: nearly every business process or customer transaction can be broken down into a unique linguistic pattern. And the best part? Generative AI can be harnessed to make these tasks more efficient.”

Indian organisations are already embracing the immense potential of generative AI. MakeMyTrip, for example, has introduced voice-assisted booking in Indian languages, opening doors to personalised experiences. Platforms like Rephrase.ai and Exaltive empower businesses to create engaging content using AI for Voice, Video, and Vernacular. Meanwhile, ChatGPT's multi-language capabilities, including Hindi, Bengali, and Tamil, revolutionise chatbot interactions.

“Generative AI is not just about streamlining routine tasks, boosting productivity, and fostering innovation. It's also about unlocking the collective imagination of humans and AI working together, pushing boundaries and creating new possibilities,” adds Anand.

Generative AI continues to evolve and shape India's digital media landscape (as it will continue at a global level as well), offering brands new opportunities to connect with their audiences, create user experiences that are truly their own, and drive digital transformation across various sectors. But in the course of this journey, it's crucial for brands to continuously monitor and evaluate the impact of generative AI solutions to ensure they align with business goals, user needs, and ethical standards. Just as the industry needs to understand how the technology can be used to enhance the 3 Vs

Voice

When it comes to voice, Aakriti Bhargava, CEO & Co-Founder at Wizikey, says that Generative AI APIs enable the creation of authentic and natural-sounding voice-overs for audio-based advertising content like podcasts and video ads. “This eliminates the need for professional voice actors, reducing costs and production turnaround times,” she says.

Meanwhile, given that Google has noted that Indians use voice search at nearly twice the global average, the applications for information and online transactions are as myriad as the languages that are used on them.

“For example, as opposed to chat bots that are quite primitive at this point, brands can develop their own voice assistants using Generative AI to provide personalized and interactive experiences to users. High quality synthetic voice systems are already in place for voice-overs for advertisements, IVR systems, etc. which can evolve further,” says Vincent Kola, Creative Supervisor - Design & Video, SoCheers.

For example, Swiggy had introduced a voice-based food ordering system using AI voice assistants. “Users can place food orders through voice commands on the Swiggy app, making the process more intuitive and convenient. And convenience is what it is all about. It enhanced the overall user experience by catering to users who prefer hands-free interactions as well,” says Chanda.

He adds, “It may sound crazy but AI can generate human-like speech in different languages. It’s a beautiful way to enable brands to deliver localized audio content. For example, brands can create audiobooks, podcasts, or advertisements in regional languages, reaching a wider audience and enhancing engagement in the process.”

Video

Kola adds that content creation can also greatly benefit with automated video content, such as generating templates, visual effects, or even entire videos. “While attributions and consent remain issues with new AI models, performance is sure to be at a new level. Brands can utilize capabilities like enhancing video quality and stabilizing shaky footage to enhance user-generated content, brand videos, and user interfaces,” he says.

Mitesh Kothari, Co-founder and Chief Creative Officer, White Rivers Media, agrees that the emergence of Generative AI is empowering the content game at a large scale. “The innovations and advanced tech are helping us enhance customer experiences and ROIs for our brands. Data-driven, customised video enhancements can also help brands achieve outstanding, targeted visuals, resulting in high conversion rates.”

Bharagava adds that with the aid of Generative AI, brands can enhance video creation by automating tasks such as video editing, scene generation, and special effects. This streamlines the production process, making it more efficient and cost-effective.

Vernacular

Kothari says that with vernacular content processing, generative AI can bridge language gaps and help produce engaging content that resonates well with local communities. “By responsibly and mindfully utilising AI, we can harness its power in all digital landscapes to drive growth for businesses effectively.”

Chanda adds that AI tools can generate vernacular content, such as articles, social media posts, and ad copies, tailored to specific target audiences/regions. “These tools leverage natural language processing and machine learning techniques to understand the characteristics and preferences of different user segments, enabling brands to create personalized content at scale.”

Bhargava says that by generating translations and localized content, brands can deliver a personalized and culturally relevant experience to their target audience, expanding their reach in vernacular markets.

“It is clear that Generative AI can be an incredibly valuable asset for brands, but there certainly are a lot of things we must be wary of while working with it. This is of course a period of massive developments on all fronts, but with the power it holds - it is also up to brands, agencies, and individuals alike to practice certain guidelines, so as to ensure safety, and the ethical use of Generative AI,” asserts Chanda.

Safety & Security

Indeed, when we talk about India’s digital media transformation, we cannot overlook the fact that with AI there will always be safety concerns. Kola points out “If brands are not mindful of the commitment this brings towards Data Privacy, Bias Mitigation and Content Moderation, Generative AI could do more damage than help the industry.”

Siddharth Thakkar, Director, Strategy and Planning, Metaform, notes that by adhering to ethical and legal guidelines, prioritizing data privacy and security, and rigorously testing outputs, brands can unlock their full potential. “By leveraging generative AI, brands can create visually captivating and personalized marketing content that enhances customer engagement, such as product mockups, video animations, and visual dubbing. It can also automate tasks, boost operational efficiency, and help elevate quality standards,” he says.

“Above all, Human Oversight will always be essential in curating and validating AI Generated content before it’s published. Having said that, with brands incorporating Generative AI into their work-flow and making sure the safety concerns are addressed, we will definitely enhance customer experiences, see higher engagement, and truly tap into the potential of India's digital landscape,” concludes Kola.