LISA – The First AI News Anchor

Blog Credit: Trupti Thakur

Image Courtesy: Google

                                                                                        Lisa

 

Odisha TV, an Odia-based news station, has unveiled “Lisa”, India’s first regional AI news anchor. Lisa’s introduction marks a groundbreaking moment in TV broadcasting and journalism, with the potential to revolutionize the industry.

In a video shared by OTV on Twitter, Lisa confidently introduces herself, expressing excitement for this historic occasion. The news station revealed that she would soon host new updates, showcasing her capabilities as an AI news anchor. Lisa possesses the remarkable ability to speak multiple languages, including Odia, English and others.

OTV acknowledged the challenge of training Lisa in the Odia language and disclosed that efforts are underway to enhance her proficiency further. The platform’s goal is to develop her interactive skills, enabling seamless communication with others. The news station also encouraged viewers to connect with Lisa on social media platforms like Instagram and Facebook.

An AI anchor collects, tracks, and categorizes what is said and who said it and then converts that data into usable and actionable information. Automatically generated, searchable action items keep vital points in mind, ensuring you never miss a beat.

China introduced Xinhua, their AI news anchor, two years before that can mimic human voices, gestures, and mannerisms in 3D. The Chinese government funds Xinhua in whole or in part.

Earlier this year, India Today, Group introduced their AI news anchor, Sana. Sana was launched during the 20th edition of India Today Conclave. Kalli Purie, Vice-Chairperson of India Today, described Sana as “bright, gorgeous, ageless, tireless, speaks multiple languages and is completely under my control.”

The introduction of Lisa is proof that the boundaries of AI in the media industry continue to be pushed, opening new possibilities for engaging and dynamic news presentations in different languages and regional contexts.

The bot expressed her excitement for the historic unveiling. The OdishaTV expressed that Lisa would soon be hosting on the channel. Lisa, as an AI news anchor, has the capability to speak a myriad of languages. These include Odia, English, and many more.

OTV undertook the challenge of training the bot Lisa in Odia. It revealed that efforts are underway to further improve her proficiency. The goal is to work on her interactive skills.

OTV’s managing Director Jagu Mangat Panday expressed her immense excitement and joy over the unveiling of the country’s very first AI bot news reader by saying, “The use of AI has just begun in television broadcasting and for that reason, AI news anchor Lisa is all set to create many new milestones.”

Lisa is the very first AI anchor in the arena of free-to-air regional television broadcasting.

It is important to note that Lisa is not the sole AI newsreader in India. India Today, a Delhi-based news channel too has brought forward a female AI news anchor whose name is “Sana”.

What makes Sana and Lisa interesting newsreaders?

Well, these AI bots have a human-like appearance. This makes the audience connect with them easily. This also does not break the habit of the viewers to listen to the everyday news from the mouth of a human. Moreover, as an AI anchor, both the bots are capable of reading news in local languages fluently.

Are there AI-powered news anchors in other countries as well?

Yes. While India has just begun introducing AI-powered news anchors, China has already explored the arena. Xinhua, China’s news agency started making use of AI-powered news anchors in the year 2018. The launch of ChatGPT has made this idea speed up.

 

All About AI News Anchor-

An AI news anchor, also known as a virtual news anchor or digital news anchor, is an artificial intelligence-powered technology that uses machine learning and natural language processing algorithms to generate news reports and present them in a human-like manner.

AI news anchors typically consist of a digital avatar or computer-generated image of a human-like figure, accompanied by a synthesized voice that speaks the news. The avatar’s facial expressions, gestures, and tone of voice are designed to mimic those of a human news anchor, creating the illusion of a real person presenting the news.

The development of AI news anchors has been driven by the desire to create more efficient and cost-effective ways of producing news content, as well as to improve the overall quality and consistency of news reporting. AI news anchors can work 24/7 without getting tired or taking breaks, and they can generate news reports in multiple languages.

Despite their potential benefits, AI news anchors have also been criticized for their lack of empathy and emotional intelligence, as well as for the potential ethical concerns around using AI to generate news content. Some have also raised concerns about the impact that AI news anchors may have on traditional journalism and the role of human reporters and anchors in the news industry.

Artificial Intelligence (AI) has been transforming various industries, and the journalism industry is no exception. One of the most innovative applications of AI in journalism is the AI news anchor. An AI news anchor is a computer-generated digital persona that presents news and information to the audience in a human-like manner.

1. What is an AI News Anchor? An AI news anchor is a digital persona that is created using advanced AI algorithms and deep learning technologies. These news anchors are designed to look and sound like real news anchors, with realistic facial expressions, gestures, and voice. AI news anchors can read the news scripts in a natural and engaging way, giving the audience a seamless news watching experience.
2. How to use and create AI news anchor and create video? Creating an AI news anchor requires a combination of skills in programming, machine learning, and visual design. The following steps provide a general idea of how to create an AI news anchor:

Step 1: Collect data and prepare scripts – The first step is to collect data on the news anchor’s appearance, voice, and gestures. This data is then used to train the AI model. The news scripts are also prepared at this stage.

Step 2: Train the AI model – The next step is to use machine learning algorithms to train the AI model. The model is trained to recognize the news anchor’s appearance, voice, and gestures and to read the news scripts in a natural and engaging way.

Step 3: Create the digital persona – Once the AI model is trained, the digital persona of the news anchor is created. The digital persona is designed to look and sound like a real news anchor.

Step 4: Generate videos – The final step is to use the digital persona to generate news videos. The news scripts are fed into the AI news anchor, and the AI news anchor reads the news in a natural and engaging way.

3. List of tools for create AI news anchor and video There are several tools available for creating AI news anchors and videos. Some of the popular tools include:

• Deepfake Studio – A tool that can be used to create realistic deepfake videos
• Synthesia – An AI-powered video creation platform that can be used to create AI news anchor videos
• Lumen5 – A video creation platform that uses AI to generate videos from text
• Wibbitz – An AI-powered video creation platform that can be used to create news videos

4. Approx cost of using tools for AI news anchor and video The cost of using the tools for creating AI news anchors and videos can vary depending on the specific tool and the complexity of the project. However, most of the tools offer subscription-based pricing models, ranging from a few hundred to several thousand dollars per year.
5. Which news organizations have started using AI news anchors? Several news organizations have started using AI news anchors. For example, Xinhua News Agency, a state-run news agency in China, launched its first AI news anchor in 2018. The AI news anchor, named “Xin Xiaomeng,” has since been used to report news on a daily basis. Another example is the South Korean news agency, Yonhap, which has also launched an AI news anchor.

Advantages of AI News Anchor-

• AI news anchors can work 24/7 without getting tired or needing breaks.
• AI news anchors can be customized to present news in different languages and styles.
• AI news anchors can be programmed to deliver news without any bias or emotional influence.
• AI news anchors can reduce the cost of news production and delivery.

 

Disadvantages of AI News Anchor-

• AI news anchors lack the personal touch and human connection that human news anchors provide.
• AI news anchors may not have the ability to improvise or think creatively, leading to limited news presentation.
• There are concerns about the potential misuse of AI news anchors, such as the spread of fake news or propaganda.

 

The Conclusion-

In conclusion, AI news anchors have the potential to revolutionize the journalism industry, offering a cost-effective and efficient way to deliver news to the audience. However, the technology is still in its early stages and has limitations. It is important to carefully consider the ethical implications and ensure that AI news anchors are used responsibly.