In this third and final episode on innovation at CNED, Geoffrey Courcelle, Director of Audiovisual, details how CNED uses AI to enhance the production of media for their training modules. The benefits include significant improvements in both productivity and quality.
A Long Tradition of Media-Based Learning at CNED
CNED has a longstanding tradition of creating media-rich educational resources that are seamlessly integrated into learning pathways.
Today, CNED offers 200 courses and 5,000 training modules. “This means that if we want to include media in all of these modules tomorrow, we’d quickly need to produce 20,000 media elements!” Geoffrey Courcelle highlights.
AI Enables Unprecedented Levels of Production and Quality
With traditional production methods, CNED wouldn’t be able to achieve such volume. AI has become a valuable ally in envisioning this scale of production, combined with unparalleled quality.
One area where Geoffrey and his team have started implementing AI is in the creation of “avatars” – digital characters with voices that guide learners throughout their educational journey. A preview of their work, still in progress, shows impressive results. The avatars are so lifelike that they give the impression of having a real human interacting with learners.
Simplifying Content Evolution with AI
One of AI’s greatest advantages lies in its ability to facilitate content updates.
“With AI, we no longer need to re-record everything. The ability to update content becomes much easier,” Geoffrey explains.
For instance, by using an avatar, they can modify or add new dialogue without needing to start from scratch, maintaining existing productions while reducing redundancy.
Other AI Techniques in Use
The team also employs other AI-driven techniques, such as phototalking and creating immersive images. These methods require extensive research and monitoring but yield impressive, high-quality results.
Goodbye Traditional Techniques, Hello Generative AI? Let’s Talk About Hybridization.
« We use the technical solutions offered by generative AI and hybridize them with our traditional tools, such as editing suites and post-production effects,” Geoffrey notes.
A Well-Defined Legal Framework for Avatars
Finally, Geoffrey underscores the importance of the legal framework surrounding this transformation, particularly when integrating AI. The performers and actors CNED works with are not replaced by AI; they remain integral to the process.
“These individuals lend their image and voice under strict agreements. For example, when we create a hyperrealistic avatar at CNED, we could theoretically use it freely, but that’s not the case,” Geoffrey explains.
Actors sign contracts specifying the scope of their work as avatars, including a defined number of videos for educational purposes.
“Thanks to such contracts, we can maintain our videos if updates are required, but we cannot create new videos with that avatar without the person’s consent,” he concludes.
Learn more: CNED Official Website
