In April 2023, an Indian media group unveiled its first full-time Artificial Intelligence (AI) news anchor — a bot named Sana. Recent research shows that half of all Newsrooms worldwide are now utilizing AI tools like ChatGPT, just months after their wide availability, signaling a significant shift in the industry. However, journalists need to see chatbots as an asset rather than the end of their jobs.
The use of AI platforms, such as OpenAI’s ChatGPT, is prevalent in newsrooms. According to a poll by the World Association of Publishers (WAN-IFRA), 49% of respondents claimed their newsrooms utilized AI platforms.
The adoption of AI News Anchors is also increasing in Asian countries. China became the first country to use AI news anchors in 2018, with a pair of suit-clad men delivering news bulletins for China’s state-run Xinhua news agency. India has followed suit with several regional AI news anchors.
Sana is India’s first AI news anchor, debuting at the India Today Conclave. She has reported weather updates and co-anchored with Sudhir Chaudhary, an editor and journalist. Another AI news presenter, Lisa, has debuted on a private news channel in India’s Odisha state. Lisa provides bulletins in English and Odia, and her debut represents a transformative moment in the industry.
Other regional AI news anchors include Soundarya in Kannada for Power TV and Maya in Telugu for Big TV. These AI anchors are capable of delivering news updates in their respective regional languages.
While there are challenges in training AI anchors, such as teaching them regional languages and improving their interactive skills, the introduction of AI into newsrooms offers new possibilities for engaging and dynamic news displays in various languages and geographical contexts.
Although AI news anchors are still in the testing phase and news networks currently use them for short news bulletins, their emergence is seen as an exciting advancement in Indian TV journalism. However, critics argue that their introduction may pose a threat to human jobs.
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