The introduction of a virtual news presenter generated using Artificial Intelligence (AI) Fedha, in Kuwait has sparked interest and reactions from journalists and social media users.
The AI newscaster, named ‘Fedha’, appeared on the Twitter account of the Kuwaiti news website associated with the Kuwait Times, the region’s first English-language daily founded in 1961. Abdullah Boftain, the deputy editor of both news outlets, stated that it was a test of AI’s potential to offer new and innovative content.
Fedha, whose name is derived from the popular Kuwaiti name for silver, is expected to adopt the Kuwaiti accent in the future and present news bulletins on the news media’s Twitter account, which has 1.2 million followers. The virtual news presenter is portrayed with blond hair and light-colored eyes, reflecting Kuwait’s diverse population of locals and expatriates.
Notably, Kuwait is not the first country to introduce an AI-generated news presenter, as China’s state-owned news agency unveiled its virtual newsreader in 2018. The use of AI in news media and other industries has raised discussions about potential job displacement, with a report by investment bank Goldman Sachs suggesting that AI could replace 300 million full-time jobs, affecting a quarter of tasks in Europe and the US. However, it is also recognized that AI could create new job opportunities.
أول مذيعة في #الكويت تعمل بالذكاء الاصطناعي
• #فضة.. مذيعة #كويت_نيوز الافتراضية
• ما هي نوعية الأخبار التي تفضلونها بتقديم #فضة زميلتنا الجديدة؟ .. شاركونا آراءكم pic.twitter.com/VlVjasSdpb
— كويت نيوز (@KuwaitNews) April 8, 2023
Governments around the world are showing keen interest in encouraging investment in AI, as the technology continues to advance and impact various aspects of society, including the media industry. The introduction of Fedha as an AI news presenter in Kuwait is an example of how AI is being used to innovate and evolve traditional media practices, and it will be interesting to see how this technology develops in the future.