Artificial Intelligence (AI) news anchors have made their debut in the Indian television industry, bringing a revolution to the way news is presented. Female AI anchors, designed to cater to widespread Indian beauty standards, are now offering content in multiple languages and subjects, 24/7, at a lower cost. This development has caught the attention of viewers across the country.
One of the notable AI anchors, Sana, has joined Aaj Tak TV. Described as bright, gorgeous, ageless, and tireless, Sana has the ability to read news without breaks, allowing for continuous coverage. India Today, a powerful media outlet, sees the bots as complementing the work of human anchors, with real-life mentors guiding their progress.
Another AI news anchor, Lisa, has made her appearance on Odisha TV, a regional news channel. Lisa introduced herself in Odia, the predominantly spoken language in the region. These humanoid anchors possess the competitive qualities required in a country with 22 official languages and a population of 1.4 billion.
Similar AI anchors have also emerged in neighboring countries such as Bangladesh and Pakistan, where they deliver multiple newscasts daily in various languages. Bangladesh Press Club vice president Rejwanul Haq expressed concern that technology may replace human creativity in news presentation or reporting, emphasizing that such tasks require a human touch.
However, industry leaders argue that AI anchors offer enhanced efficiency in newsrooms by eliminating mundane and repetitive tasks. Vivek Malhotra, head of marketing at India Today, highlighted the AI anchor’s ability to effortlessly switch between topics and languages, emphasizing their tireless nature.
Interestingly, the introduction of female AI anchors seeks to expand on the foundation laid by Qiu Hao, the world’s first AI news anchor developed by China’s Xinhua news agency in 2018. Qiu Hao paved the way for AI anchors to occupy a significant role in news broadcasting, demonstrating their tireless presence across different scenes simultaneously.
In Bangladesh, Aparajita has become the face of Channel 24 as the country’s first female AI news anchor. Channel 24 CEO Talat Mamun expressed the urgency of keeping pace with rapidly evolving technologies in news broadcasting, leading them to introduce an AI-generated news anchor.
Pakistan has also embraced AI news anchors, with Fatma serving as a young woman clad in hijab who can effortlessly present various topics. The Discover Pakistan channel recently launched the first-ever talk show featuring AI characters, further embracing the possibilities offered by AI technology.
As the AI revolution takes hold in the Indian television industry, it is essential to strike a balance between the benefits of automation and the irreplaceable creativity and expertise brought by human anchors. While AI anchors can offer continuous coverage and ease repetitive tasks, the unique perspectives and storytelling abilities of human anchors should not be underestimated.
The integration of AI news anchors represents a significant shift in the television industry. It will be interesting to observe how this development unfolds and impacts the way news is consumed in the future.
