Have AI newsreaders come to stay?

Aparajita has a tidy appearance. Wearing a brown jacket over a black shirt, she looks human. She even sounds human. But last week she was introduced as the first television presenter in Bangladesh who is a robot run by artificial intelligence. "Viewers, I, Aparajita, am welcoming you. I'm here at Channel 24 as the first artificial intelligence presenter in the television industry of Bangladesh," she says in Bangla. The four-minute video has already generated a flood of reactions on social media. Some praised the virtual presenter as an innovation, while others expressed their concern about using AI in the newsrooms. A heating debate is now going on whether AI news presenters will one day take over the job of human news anchors.
Aparajita is not the only virtual newsreader in the world. In 2018, China became the first country in the world to use AI news anchors, with a pair of suit-clad men delivering a bulletin for China's state-run Xinhua news agency -- one speaking Chinese and the other English. Indian media outlets now have around half a dozen AI news presenters. The increasing use of AI in newsrooms surely poses a threat to human news presenters' job. According to a report published by Goldman Sachs, AI could replace the equivalent of 300 million full-time jobs around the world. The report also suggests that the technology may also mean new jobs and an increase in productivity.
Broadcasters in Bangladesh will surely consider using AI presenters as they are incredibly efficient. They never need to take breaks or rest, which means they can work round the clock. They can bring the news in the middle of the night with no holidays and no salary. This means more contents can be created at a faster pace. Moreover, AI presenters are able to deliver content in multiple languages, which can help TV channels to reach a wider audience. Another advantage of using AI presenters is that they can be customised to fit any show. Like human presenters, AI newsreaders do not need expensive makeup, wardrobe or hair. However, one thing is for sure that AI presenters lack the human touch that the audience expects. They are not able to express emotions or reactions in the same way humans can. This can make them seem robotic. Additionally, AI presenters lack improvisational skills that human presenters have, which can be crucial during live TV situations. Technical glitches can also ruin AI presenters' performance. AI technology is still in its early stages. So, there is always a risk that something could go wrong during a live broadcast.
While it is still unclear whether or not AI broadcasters will actually replace human ones, it is certain that the technology is advancing rapidly. And it is possible that we may see more AI presenters in the near future, especially as newscasters. However, it is unlikely that AI presenters will completely replace human counterparts anytime soon.

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