VOA新闻杂志2023--AI News Presenter Appears in Kuwait

A news organization in Kuwait is using a virtual news announcer created with artificial intelligence (AI). The organization plans for it to present online news reports.

"Fedha" appeared on the Twitter account of the Kuwait News website Saturday. The AI's image was designed as female.

"I'm Fedha, the first presenter¹ in Kuwait who works with artificial intelligence at Kuwait News. What kind of news do you prefer? Let's hear your opinions," the AI said in traditional Arabic.

The site is linked to the Kuwait Times, an English-language daily newspaper established in 1961.

Abdullah Boftain is deputy editor-in-chief for both news sites. He said the move is a test of AI's possibility to offer "new and innovative² content."

In the future Fedha could speak using the Kuwaiti accent, he said. Boftain added that it could soon present news reports on the site's Twitter account, which has 1.2 million followers³.

"Fedha is a popular, old Kuwaiti name that refers to silver, the metal. We always imagine robots to be silver and metallic⁴ in color, so we combined the two," he said.

The AI presenter has light hair and light-colored eyes, representing the country's diverse population of Kuwaitis and foreigners, Boftain said.

"Fedha represents everyone," he said.

The AI's first 13-second video led many people to post about it on social media, including reporters.

The quick rise of AI around the world has raised hopes that the technology can create many benefits. But there are also fears AI could help spread disinformation, threaten some kinds of jobs and hurt artistic⁵ integrity.

Kuwait ranked 158 out of 180 countries and territories in the Reporters Without Borders 2022 Press Freedom Index.

Words in This Story

virtual— adj. very close to being something without actually being it; something that is not real, but is only on computers or the Internet

artificial intelligence — adj. an area of computer science that deals with giving machines the ability to seem like they have human intelligence

prefer — v. to like better than someone or something else

innovative — adj. introducing or using new ideas or methods

diverse — adj. different from each other

benefit — n. a good or helpful result or effect

integrity — n. the quality of being honest and fair

1 presenter   

n.（电视、广播的）主持人，赠与者

参考例句：

• Most people think being a television presenter is exciting.很多人认为当电视节目主持人是一件刺激的事情。
• The programme dispensed with its most popular presenter.这个节目最受欢迎的主持人被换掉了。

2 innovative   

adj.革新的，新颖的，富有革新精神的

参考例句：

• Discover an innovative way of marketing.发现一个创新的营销方式。
• He was one of the most creative and innovative engineers of his generation.他是他那代人当中最富创造性与革新精神的工程师之一。

3 followers   

追随者( follower的名词复数 )； 用户； 契据的附面； 从动件

参考例句：

• the followers of Mahatma Gandhi 圣雄甘地的拥护者
• The reformer soon gathered a band of followers round him. 改革者很快就获得一群追随者支持他。

4 metallic   

adj.金属的；金属制的；含金属的；产金属的；像金属的

参考例句：

• A sharp metallic note coming from the outside frightened me.外面传来尖锐铿锵的声音吓了我一跳。
• He picked up a metallic ring last night.昨夜他捡了一个金属戒指。

5 artistic   

adj.艺术(家)的，美术(家)的；善于艺术创作的

参考例句：

• The picture on this screen is a good artistic work.这屏风上的画是件很好的艺术品。
• These artistic handicrafts are very popular with foreign friends.外国朋友很喜欢这些美术工艺品。