One of Thailand’s biggest news television channels, Nation TV, has introduced the country’s inaugural artificial intelligence news reporters, set to debut on air Monday.
The female AI reporter Natcha and her male counterpart, Nitchan ,are set to usher in a new era of news reporting in Thailand. Natcha is scheduled to be featured on the “Nation News Alert” segment, and Nitchan will follow.
“As a leading news station focused on innovation, Nation TV channel 22 saw an opportunity to use generative AI to increase our news presentation capability,” said Apirawee Pichayadecha, Nation TV’s managing director, according to The Nation. “We have used AI to create female news reporter Natcha and her male counterpart Nitchan, who will be the first news reporters in Thailand.”
Ms. Apirawee said using AI will position Nation TV as the pioneer in Thailand, noting that media outlets in China and India have harnessed AI for enhanced data processing and analysis, boosting productivity and news depth.
She even envisions the AI reporters transcending the television screen to assume roles such as social media icons, event hosts and virtual conference moderators, and as the face of Nation TV.
“AI reporters will help support the work of our editorial department, allowing [human] reporters to have more time to focus on gathering and verifying information,” she said. “News reporting by Natcha and Nitchan will be accompanied by automatic closed captions that will make viewers feel like they are listening to real persons,” she said.
Thailand is no stranger to virtual personalities, with several already making waves as social media influencers and brand figures. Bangkok, a 17-year-old nonbinary virtual influencer, bears the title of Thailand’s first AI-generated influencer, while Ailynn, a 21-year-old AI woman, promotes AIS, a leading mobile service provider.
Katie, another virtual creation by advertising firm Plan B Media with Lemonz Bangkok, has graced magazine covers and appeared in ad campaigns with celebrity companions. And Phra Maha A is a virtual monk created with the aim of sharing Buddhist teachings with the youth on digital platforms.
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