Introduction

Imagine creating a full video scene without a camera, actors, or even a filming location. With AI tools like Sora, this is quickly becoming a reality. The media industry is undergoing a dramatic transformation, where artificial intelligence is no longer just a tool behind the scenes but an active participant in the creative process. As AI continues to reshape how content is produced and consumed, it challenges our understanding of creativity itself.

How Media Has Changed

Before the rise of AI, media production was a complex and time-consuming process. Creating films or videos required large teams, expensive equipment, and significant amounts of time spent on filming and editing. Every stage of the creative process from screen writing to post-production, relied entirely on human input and technical skill.

However, with the introduction of AI, many of the tedious labour-intensive processes within media have been streamlined. For example, Apps apart of the Adobe Creative Suite have been emerging with AI-powered features embedded into their software. One such case is Adobe Premiere Pro which now includes tools that can automatically cut footage, generate captions, and adjust video formats. This innovation has reduced both the cost and time required to produce high-quality content, making media creation more accessible than ever before.

AI in Content Creation

One of the most noticeable impacts of AI is in content creation. Tools like Sora and Runway allow users to generate video clips simply by describing what they want to see. This means that entire scenes can be created without traditional filming methods. On the other hand, AI for content creation still has some way to go, often making errors within the generated footage with unnatural movements and physics mistakes.

As a result, this development has opened opportunities for independent creators who may not have access to professional equipment or large budgets. At the same time, it raises questions about originality. If many creators rely on similar AI tools, there is a risk that content could become repetitive or less unique.

AI in Editing and Production

AI is also transforming the editing process. Tasks that once required hours of manual work can now be completed in minutes. For example, platforms like Descript allow users to edit video and audio by simply editing text. Descript automatically detects filler words such as “um” and “uh” which ordinarily would require hours going over audio making fine cuts to be happy with the finished result.

Additionally, with the use of AI tedious processes that had to be done by hand can be done in mere minutes. Generating subtitles, removing background noise, and identify key moments in footage are all things AI can take over for us. These tools lower the skill ceiling for content creation, making the creation of high-grade content more accessible than ever, this allows creators to focus more on the creative aspects of their work rather than the technical details and limitations.

AI and Audience Experience

AI does not only affect how media is created, it also shapes how it is consumed. Streaming platforms such as Netflix use AI algorithms to recommend content based on a user’s viewing habits. These systems analyse data to tailor film or show recommendations to the user that are most likely to keep them engaged.

This level of personalisation means that audiences are increasingly exposed to content tailored specifically to their interests. While this improves user experience, it also means that algorithms have significant control over what content becomes popular and widely viewed.

Ethical Issues and Concerns

With the rise of AI and its increasing power to be used as a tool to aid the online world. An issue which has taken hold in the past years is the emergence of deepfakes. Deepfakes appear to be realistic but fake videos that can be used to spread misinformation and misrepresent a person or group. Similarly, AI voice tools such as Eleven Labs can replicate human voices, raising concerns about consent and identity.

As of February 6, 2026, the UK government has officially brought into force new legislation that makes it a criminal offence to create or request the creation of non-consensual deepfake intimate images of adults. This law, enacted through the Data (Use and Access) Act 2025 (specifically Section 138), closes a legal loophole that previously only punished the sharing of such images

Environmentally wise AI’s energy consumption is exponentially increasing at a rapid rate. Zoe Groves speaks on this during their podcast, AI in Video Production: A Double-Edged Sword.

“AI artwork and text take a lot of energy to generate, you have these huge farms full of servers constantly processing to generate all these requests, which uses a huge amount of energy… Just one of these AI farms can use more electricity than a small country”

The Future of AI in Media

Looking ahead, AI is likely to play an even greater role in media production. We may see films created with only AI-generated scenes and real-time AI content created for and implemented into livestreams.

However, this rapid advancement also means that the industry must adapt quickly to ensure that ethical standards are maintained and that creativity is not lost in the process.

Conclusion

As we the world moves forward and technology continues to advance, artificial intelligence is fundamentally changing the media industry. It has made content creation faster, more accessible, and more efficient, while also introducing new challenges related to ethics, originality, creativity and control.

As AI continues to evolve, it is clear that it will remain a central part of media production. However, the true value of media may still lie in human creativity; the ideas, perspectives, and stories that technology alone cannot fully replicate.  We still need a human in the room!