DAM Guide – Artificial intelligence in DAM

A source of wonder for humans and a Hollywood fantasy for decades, artificial intelligence (AI) is now a reality. That said, today’s AI is far from the digital being we see in our imagination that’s capable of thinking all on its own like a human being.
Present all around us, AI is a tool that we use every day in our computers, smartphones, and, more importantly for us, in the management of our multimedia files (photos, audio files, text documents, etc.). Photo library and digital asset management software utilize AI to be as efficient and convenient as possible to use. AI is also crucial for making use of multimedia files in cases where companies, and occasionally individuals, have large volumes of them. Without the valuable assistance of AI, users would have to spend a lot of time—endless hours in the case of large companies—on processing all sorts of data.
AI allows the computer to take the place of people in performing certain tasks, generally tedious ones. This type of “intelligence” is not based on learning, but rather on programming by a human. As such, to do its job, the AI always relies on a human operator, who makes requests, verifies the work done, and makes certain settings.

As a computer substitute for human intelligence, artificial intelligence can save both time and money for companies using digital asset management or photo library software to manage their multimedia files.
Although AI cannot entirely replace the expert eye of a human being or the human abilities of analysis and discernment, AI can take the place of a human in performing certain basic tasks. In general, AI works off of a predefined reference to make comparisons that allow it to perform tasks assigned to it. AI can also make use of data attached to a file (i.e., metadata) or peruse a vast amount of information in record time.
In DAM tools, AI is most useful for enabling simplified management of an impressive volume of multimedia files, thus avoiding the need for several humans to perform those management tasks. This is especially great because AI is less likely than humans to make mistakes in carrying out certain tasks, such as sorting or indexing, for example.

There are many potential applications for AI throughout the life cycle of files in DAM software. When multimedia files are added to the DAM system, AI can take care of the indexing. To do so, it uses the file metadata and analysis of the file’s content, particularly thanks to shape recognition. With AI, indexing becomes automatic, making it easier to search for files later.
Additionally, searching for multimedia files also relies on AI. Without artificial intelligence to help you find what you’re looking for in a collection of files, you would have to analyze files one by one. On top of making it easier to search, the DAM tool can also make suggestions for searches or for documents to view that may be of interest to the user.
The sorting of documents and photos is another function that relies on AI. Using the same logic as that used when searching for files, AI sorts the files according to various criteria, like the type of document, dominant color, date, theme, popularity, author, and the location of creation.
AI is also used for shape recognition. Instead of a physical person having to visually analyze images one after another to determine what people or what dominant colors they feature, the DAM system can do that work for you. The concept of shape recognition includes recognition of faces, types of landscapes, animals, objects, and colors. AI can then compare files for similarities between them. Additionally, shape recognition does not only apply to images: more broadly, it can be used for any file (even voice files, even handwriting in digitized documents, etc.). The analysis of files’ content can go even further, for example, checking for plagiarism in text files. By comparing the content of written documents, the DAM software can not only alert you to plagiarism, but also provide you with a file showing the sources used. All in all, AI is a true ally for managing your files’ life cycle and workflow.