AI-Powered News Anchors: Will We Trust Them?
In an era of declining trust in traditional news media, AI-generated news presenters are emerging as a potential game-changer. Start-ups like Channel 1 and NewsGPT are developing news services featuring anchors created by artificial intelligence (AI). This raises the question: will viewers trust news delivered by AI, rather than humans?
AI-Generated News Presenters: A Growing Trend
AI-powered news presenters have been making waves worldwide. Channel 1, a Los Angeles-based start-up, plans to launch a streaming TV channel featuring AI-generated news anchors later this year. In Kuwait, an AI persona named Fedha delivers the news on Kuwait News. Hermes presented the news on Greek state broadcaster ERT, while South Korean broadcaster SBS utilized an AI-generated deepfake named Zae-In for five months. Similar initiatives have been undertaken in India and Taiwan.
The Importance of Trust in News Anchors
Trust in human news presenters has been declining in recent years. A survey by Ipsos revealed that only 42% of people in the UK trust TV newsreaders, a significant drop from previous years. This skepticism has led many individuals to seek news from alternative sources, such as social media influencers.
Parasocial Relationships and AI
Social media influencers leverage a connection with their audience called parasocial influence, a term coined in the 1950s to describe the perceived personal connection between viewers and nightly news anchors. However, whether AI can replicate this personal connection is uncertain.
Challenges for AI News Presenters
Despite their potential, AI news presenters face several challenges. One concern is the lack of personal connection between AI and viewers. AI may struggle to establish the same level of trust and rapport as human anchors. Additionally, AI’s ability to gather and report on newsworthy events is limited without human involvement.
The Role of Humans in AI-Generated News
Currently, AI news presenters still require human involvement in various aspects of the news production process, such as script checking, story selection, and video footage acquisition. AI may assist in certain reporting tasks, but human journalists remain essential for gathering intelligence and conducting interviews.
Conclusion: The Future of AI-Powered News
The emergence of AI-generated news presenters raises questions about trust, personal connection, and the role of humans in news production. While AI has the potential to enhance news delivery and accessibility, it remains to be seen whether viewers will embrace AI anchors and establish parasocial relationships with them. The future of AI-powered news depends on the ability of these systems to overcome these challenges and gain the trust of audiences.