‘Threat To Certain Jobs’ As News Presenter Generated With AI Appears In Kuwait

One popular Kuwaiti media outlet has revealed a virtual news presenter generated using artificial intelligence, AI with plans for it to read online bulletins.

“Fedha” as it is called appeared on the Twitter handle of the Kuwait News outlet website on during the weekend as an image of a woman, her light-coloured hair uncovered, wearing a black jacket and white T-shirt.

“I’m Fedha, the first presenter in Kuwait who works with artificial intelligence at Kuwait News. What kind of news do you prefer? Let’s hear your opinions,” she said in Classical Arabic during the introduction move.

The news website is affiliated with another Kuwait Times, founded in 1961 as the Gulf region’s first English-language daily, freshreporters gathered.

Abdullah Boftain, who is the deputy editor-in-chief for both outlets in Kuwait, said the move is a test of AI’s potential to offer “new and innovative content”.

“Fedha” could adopt the Kuwaiti accent and present news bulletins on the site’s Twitter page in the neares future, which has 1.2 million followers, Boftain says.

“Fedha is a popular, old Kuwaiti name that refers to silver, the metal. We always imagine robots to be silver and metallic in colour, so we combined the two,” Britain said.

According to Britain, the presenter’s blonde hair and light-coloured eyes reflect the oil-rich country’s diverse population of Kuwaitis and expatriates.

“Fedha represents everyone,” he said.

Her initial 13-second video generated a flood of reactions on social media platforms, including from journalists and other news outlets.

The rapid rise of AI globally has raised the promise of benefits, such as in health care and the elimination of mundane tasks, but also fears, for example over its potential spread of disinformation, a threat to certain jobs in the world which may imply unemployment or loss of job, and artistic integrity.

The republic of Kuwait was ranked 158 out of 180 countries and territories in the Reporters Without Borders (RSF) 2022 Press Freedom Index.