Synthetic Media
Synthetic media is audio, video, image, or text that has been generated or materially altered by artificial intelligence.
The category spans the benign and the malicious — an AI-generated product image, a voice clone used for accessibility, a fabricated video of an executive saying something they never said. What unites it is origin: a machine produced or reshaped the content, not a camera or a person.
For brands, synthetic media is a two-sided issue. It is a creative tool the brand itself uses and must disclose, and it is a threat vector a bad actor can point at the brand. Both sides now carry regulatory weight, and both require a defined policy before the content is published — or the attack lands.
FAQ
What is synthetic media in simple terms?
It is content — audio, video, image, or text — that AI has generated or significantly altered.
Is all synthetic media harmful?
No. Synthetic media includes legitimate AI-assisted creative work. The harm depends on intent, disclosure, and accuracy.