AI for Corporate Video: Powerful – Yet Widely Misunderstood

“Can’t we just make the entire corporate video with AI?”

I hear this question a lot. Usually from people with little understanding of filmmaking. And those who do? Often are unserious, or lack respect for the brand.

This is something I lately experience in Europe, and even more so in Dubai and the United Arab Emirates. There is this idea, that AI can cut 95% of the cost, and that even companies can make it in-house. My answer is simply; good luck with that!

At Rational Films, we use AI every day for producing corporate videos. We understand its strengths, and its limitations. But most importantly, we use AI only when it does not jeopardise trust or authenticity.

My opinion isn’t a cry to save the marketing wasteland – it’s a call to approach AI seriously for corporate video and marketing in general. Here’s our key views of AI for production:

AI is transforming video production – but not how most people think

AI has revolutionised tasks like transcription, subtitling, and editing interviews. It saves time and boosts efficiency.

But here’s where the hype begins: tools that generate very realistic AI images, or quite realistic video, from text or image prompts. It is mind-boggling. But let’s be clear – using AI to assist in production is one thing; using it to replace the craft entirely is still nonsense.

AI can’t edit like a human

AI can generate clips, but professional editing is an intuitive craft. It combines every audiovisual element; sound, pacing, rhythm, and emotion – into a coherent story.

After 30 years of editing experience, I still can’t explain half of what I do – it’s instinct. That’s something algorithms can’t replicate.

AI generated image

Realism is important

AI-generated videos may look impressive at first glance, but they often fall apart under closer scrutiny. With AI image generation, realism can be high today. But comparing a single image to an edited video made up of hundreds of consecutive shots is impossible. The moment you introduce motion, continuity, and detail consistency, the illusion breaks.

Credibility matters

Trust is the foundation of any brand. If the goal is imaginative advertising, AI can work wonders. But corporate films are often more about reality – real people, real environments, real stories. AI just can’t make the authentic part – authentic.

Incorrect use of AI here, and you risk damaging your brand’s authenticity, which is a commodity that will likely only become more and more valuable as your competitors ride AI to the bottom.

AI generated image: looks more like a bazooka than a video camera

AI is not a Creative Director

AI doesn’t understand your brand, strategy, or message – only patterns. Pressing record doesn’t make someone a filmmaker, and spelling correctly doesn’t make them a copywriter. Expertise and creative oversight are still essential.

The truth about AI video

AI-generated video often looks generic, rarely saves time, and control is limited. You might strike gold on the fifth attempt or waste hours generating unusable results. At some point, you have to ask: why not just shoot it properly or source some footage? On the other hand, when AI is used correctly, it is very very powerful. I would make this analogy: AI in film and video production is like robotic automation in car manufacturing – it makes amazing efficiency improvements in a few areas. But who knows what it will do in the future.

The rational approach

AI is a powerful tool for accelerating workflow, experimenting, and creating assets that don’t exist – when used rationally.

At Rational Films, that’s exactly how we approach it; blending real creativity with smart technology. Reality will become a commodity, because trust still matters.

Opinion by Erik Turestedt, Co-Founder & Creative Director, Rational Films.

About Rational Films

Rational Films is a strategic B2B film agency specialising in translating complex business propositions into impactful, rational corporate films that resonate on an emotional, human level. Based in Sweden and Dubai, United Arab Emirates, Rational Films produces films for clients worldwide and is a preferred global partner for Hexagon, Dassault Systèmes, Kollmorgen, and Dataiku.

Discover how Rational Films can help transform your business proposition into a story with impact: www.rationalfilms.com