How will the coming age of generative AI shape our daily lives? Who should have access to these tools? And how should we approach a world where most of the media we consume has been synthetically generated or altered?
After several years of groundbreaking developments, 2022 represented a critical inflection point in the rise of generative AI and synthetic media.
From text and image generation models such as ChatGPT and Stable Diffusion generating billions of outputs, to faceswapping ‘deepfakes’ and voice cloning tools making waves in the entertainment and advertising industry, we are witnessing a radical shift in the power and accessibility of generative technologies.
In this Intellectual Forum talk on 1 March, generative AI expert Henry Ajder mapped the ways generative AI and synthetic media are already transforming society and explores the key challenges that will define our digital lives. His presentation was illuminating and at times very unsettling, and it gave rise to a huge range of enthusiastic and complex questions from the floor.
About the speaker
Henry Ajder is a globally recognised advisor, speaker, and broadcaster working at the frontier of the generative AI and synthetic media revolution.
Henry has shaped society’s understanding of generative AI and synthetic media, leading groundbreaking research at organisations including MIT, WITNESS, and Sensity AI.
He advises organisations on the opportunities and challenges these technologies present, including The European Commission, BBC, The Partnership on AI, and The House of Lords. His work on malicious deepfakes and generative AI ethics has influenced international legislation, cybersecurity policy, and corporate AI strategy.
An established keynote speaker and guest expert, Henry has spoken at events including SXSW, CogX, Adweek, and the Hello Tomorrow Global Summit.
Previously, Henry led Synthetic Futures, the first initiative dedicated to ethical synthetic media, generative AI, and metaverse technologies, bringing together over 50 industry-leading companies and organisations. He also wrote Tracer, a weekly newsletter covering key developments in synthetic media and deepfakes.
Henry presented the BBC documentary series, The Future will be Synthesised, and regularly features in global media including The New York Times, MIT Tech Review, CNN, Reuters, and The Financial Times. He has been published by outlets including WIRED, The Next Web, NYU, and The World AI Summit.
