AI
AI Television Host in India: Multilingual, Cost-Efficient, and Fatigue-Free
The rapid development of AI-equipped chatbot technology evolving into television hosts has raised concerns among some individuals regarding ensuring employment security, delivering nuanced information, and maintaining the essential human element.
In April, an AI-powered chatbot made its debut as a news anchor on television in India for the first time. Over the past three months, the “virtual show host” chatbot named Sana, with fair skin and long black hair, has been tasked with delivering prominent news on the Hindi-language news channel Aaj Tak, owned by India Today, one of the nation’s largest media companies.
Following Sana, the Odisha TV station in Eastern India also introduced a similar chatbot named Lisa. Lisa delivers news in the local language, Odia. Both chatbots present news in a consistent voice and do not use hand gestures.
However, both technologies mark a significant milestone in the broadcasting of television news and digital journalism, as they provide a continuous presence for show hosting, news delivery, weather forecasting, and real-time updates on financial results and sports without interruptions.
With the introduction of these two chatbots as television show hosts within a span of three months, the pace of change propelled by AI has even astonished experts. While experts anticipated that the new technology would quickly impact sectors such as financial services, information technology, and healthcare, few foresaw its rapid penetration into the field of media.
However, the adoption of AI in the media industry contrasts significantly with the mobile phone penetration rate in India, where over half of the population lacks smartphones.
In a country with 22 official languages, the multilingual capabilities of Sana and the bilingual abilities of Lisa could greatly facilitate news consumption for the people of India. While Lisa currently only speaks in English and Odia, Sana can communicate in 75 different languages.
Reporting on Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to France earlier this month, the virtual show host Sana discussed the trip in French with Hindi subtitles below.
Both India Today and Odisha TV have stated that these AI show hosts are supplementary tools to human resources rather than complete replacements. Typically, after reading the news headlines, the remaining content is handed over to real people to process, generate topics, and engage in discussions with guests.
“The purpose is to enhance higher efficiency in the newsroom and boost the creative abilities of journalists and reporters by eliminating repetitive and mundane tasks. Sana can speak multiple languages, transition between subjects effortlessly, and never gets tired,” explained Vivek Malhotra, Head of Marketing and Strategy at India Today.
Representatives from Odisha TV also share a similar perspective. “Lisa is an excellent host. She handles repetitive tasks and data analysis, allowing real hosts to focus on new perspectives and more creative content,” stated Jagi Mangat Panda, the channel’s CEO.
However, the training of chatbots has sparked a debate in society. Supporters of AI news hosts point out the advantages of delivering news 24/7, in multiple languages, and handling vast amounts of data, such as providing real-time updates on election results or financial news at high speeds.
Nevertheless, others express concerns about job security, the lack of nuance in storytelling, and the complete absence of the human element. Media expert Sevanti Ninan, who heads a monitoring and tracking portal for media trends and press freedom, believes that AI is not very effective in investigative journalism and field reporting as it currently cannot replicate the experience and observational abilities of humans.
