Silicon Valley is abuzz over a new kind of artificial intelligence — generative AI. It's a somewhat new field that exploded in popularity and attention in recent weeks, thanks to a steady stream of novel — and sometimes very weird — pieces of digital art hitting social media. The art was made by generative AI software, using simple text prompts from humans. These kinds of tools not only produce unique pieces of art, they can also generate audio, text and video based on user prompts. While their results are less than perfect, the AI tools can turn what were once hours-long projects into minutes-long tasks. Proponents of generative AI software say the tools could one day replace the armies of visual effects artists who work on major blockbuster films. In a shorter time frame, they could help white-collar workers whip up slideshow presentations, design corporate logos and even craft written content such as blog posts or social media posts. Watch the video above to find out how generative AI works and why Silicon Valley tech investors think it could be the next big thing. Produced by: Jeff Morganteen Narrated by: Jordan Smith Edited by: Dennis Donovan Camera: Jeniece Pettitt » Subscribe to CNBC: https://cnb.cx/SubscribeCNBC » Subscribe to CNBC TV: https://cnb.cx/SubscribeCNBCtelevision About CNBC: From 'Wall Street' to 'Main Street' to award winning original documentaries and Reality TV series, CNBC has you covered. Experience special sneak peeks of your favorite shows, exclusive video and more. Connect with CNBC News Online Get the latest news: https://www.cnbc.com/ Follow CNBC on LinkedIn: https://cnb.cx/LinkedInCNBC Follow CNBC News on Facebook: https://cnb.cx/LikeCNBC Follow CNBC News on Twitter: https://cnb.cx/FollowCNBC Follow CNBC News on Instagram: https://cnb.cx/InstagramCNBC #CNBC How Tech Is Betting Big On AI Generated Art