Artificial intelligence is a technology that has become part of our daily lives. Its appeal and influence have been reinforced in recent years by the development of conversational agents and the generation of automated content, which are supposed to optimize the creation process .
No advanced communication strategy seems to escape this phenomenon, including in the world of advertising and content marketing. Professionals have already seized the opportunity to use AI in the service of advertising . ChatGPT is the most emblematic example of this transformation of practices. However, the tool is not limited to generating textual content: the AI phenomenon also affects many areas, such as the creation of video content on social networks . Through the few lines below, we will show you how generative artificial intelligence can revolutionize the art of visual content and logo creation. We will discuss the case of MidJourney, allowing the user to create images from textual descriptions. We will also see the “ethical” side of AI training, the objective of which is to allow the automatic content generator to serve human intelligence .
A look back at AI and its origins: what is artificial intelligence used for?
“Modern” artificial intelligence took on its full meaning at the end of the Second World War. At this point in history, AI gradually established itself as a scientific discipline, notably with the invention of programmable computers and the programming language . But it was only from the 2010s (after some ups and downs) that AI experienced spectacular progress, through the fundamental notion of deep learning. This form of machine learning works with neural networks – in other words, a mode of machine learning managed by a network of artificial neurons, and which in some way imitates the human brain .
The main missions of generative AI
Artificial intelligence exists to serve a fundamental purpose: to perform tasks more efficiently that were previously entrusted to manual processes or human intervention. All this on the basis of learning and knowledge, areas in which AI necessarily excels. This is the very principle of “ machine learning ”, or the ability for AI to learn and increase its performance based on the data processed. Thus, the automation of tasks deemed repetitive and laborious frees up time and human resources.
Benefits and ethical issues of AI
The effectiveness of AI in serving developers and businesses is no longer in doubt. Organizations that use machine learning see a significant improvement in productivity and user experience. Here are some key benefits of new language models :
- Simplify complex and repetitive tasks, with a view to efficiency.
- Improve process efficiency and reduce costs.
- Offer tools for new services, such as voice recognition.
However, the question of ethics in the use of the main features of AI arises. Indeed, the artificial nature of the tool can lead it to develop biases, demonstrate discrimination and raise questions about confidentiality, for example. 
There is also regular talk of AI hallucinations, which cause it to spread erroneous information. Midjourney, for example, can generate bodily anomalies (erratic junction of limbs, improbable medical gestures, etc.).
What is Midjourney?
Midjourney is a content generative AI, just like ChatGPT, Gemini or Dall-E. Except that Midjourney specializes in generating images in any graphic style and based on a simple text description. We are talking here about generative art based on artificial intelligence (AI Art). Remember that generation is not creation itself: for Midjourney for example, the AI relies on simple text descriptions to be entered into a Discord server.
From image generation to video content production
Midjourney can also be used for video and logo production. More specifically, it involves developing a “text-to-video” model. An agency’s marketing department, for example, is responsible for capturing the concepts and narratives specific to a campaign. Midjourney then generates video content that aligns with the initial vision. Thanks to new machine learning technologies , producing multimedia and video content via AI has never seemed easier. This allows creators to produce high-quality videos with great ease and creativity.
How to use Midjourney?
To generate images and create video content with an AI-like interface, it is important to know some parameters and commands:
- First step: it is imperative to join the online communication platform Discord, and the dedicated server. You must therefore have a Discord account, and launch this third-party software from your browser or from the application. However, a website is being created, and should replace this program for formulating instructions and generating results.
- If you are new/beginner, join one of the “newbies” rooms, which you will find in the navigation pane on the left.
- After making some adjustments with the robot and the user interface, you can start generating real-time images.
Although registration is free, Midjourney, the access conditions are limited. Indeed, the level of activity on the server is such that it is no longer possible to test the AI and its algorithm for free! If you want to access the advanced features and options of the tool, you will have to buy credits, or subscribe to a subscription (starting at $8 per month).
What other free generative AIs are available?
Midjourney is not the only player in the generative AI space. Here are some examples of serious competitors:
- MyEdit: This image generator offers a full range of features for the quick and easy creation of high-quality visuals. A free trial is available if you want to give it a try.
- Crayion: This tool is an open source replica of the DALL-E project (the AI published by the OpenAI company). A free version is available, with no credit limit. For each prompt, Craiyon generates 9 image proposals.
- Bing Image Creator, renamed Copilot Designer: Developed by Microsoft, this tool allows for very simple image customization. A full range of templates and editing tools are available to creatives.
How Generative AI is Revolutionizing Content Marketing
According to the ITU (International Telecommunications Union), 67% of the world’s population uses the Internet, or 5.4 billion people. And according to the agency We Are Social (specializing in the use of social media), social networks have nearly 4.74 billion users. Social media is therefore a prime target for carrying out a video content strategy. Marketers have perfectly understood how to obtain the full potential of a campaign, by integrating it with the main social platforms.
How AI Works and Uses Its Usefulness Through Social Media
If social networks are an interesting target for AI, it is because they contain massive amounts of diverse data, as well as another valuable resource: interactions between users. We all share content around a brand that, without knowing it, participates in the establishment of a UGC logic – or “User Generated Content”. In fact, brands have every interest in integrating practices like TikTok UGC into their marketing logic, and thus participate in the training of strong artificial intelligence. Here are the five areas in which AI, when working in concert with social media, manages to transform marketing practices:
- content generation, which requires an increasing level of quality, with a logic of increased engagement and personalization;
- personalized recommendations, which make it possible to provide content corresponding to the interests and needs of users — in particular through data analysis induced by learning algorithms;
- chatbots, which provide personalized interactions that mimic the tone and style of human speech—known as natural language processing, or NLP;
- Image and speech recognition, which allows you to identify the content of a photo or video. The goal is to ultimately offer more relevant content to users;
- sentiment analysis, aimed at determining and extracting emotions and opinions expressed in writing, via digital text.
Midjourney and social networks
The interest of Midjourney for social networks is that it allows you to generate royalty-free images. You can therefore integrate beautiful, unique and original illustrations into your strategy, and engage your community. Content marketing and images play a fundamental role in your social media policy. They contribute to making your content more attractive, and allow you to improve your performance in terms of participation and conversion, and this, significantly. Several studies show that blog articles with relevant visuals receive 94% more visits than content without images. This is for a simple reason: visuals help to effectively convey information, and are essential to relieve and accompany reading. Artificial intelligence continues to transform many industries, offering endless possibilities and significant benefits. However, its use is not without challenges, particularly in terms of ethics and reliability. When integrating AI into your content strategies, be vigilant about these issues and ensure you take a balanced approach. Ultimately, AI is a powerful tool that, when used well, can significantly enrich your marketing and content creation initiatives.
By Nathan Elmaleh
