In April, India witnessed a groundbreaking moment as artificial intelligence chatbots made their debut as news presenters on television. Sana, the first chatbot, appeared on the Hindi-language news channel Aaj Tak, while Lisa followed on Odisha TV, presenting news in the local language Odia. The rapid adoption of AI in the media industry surprised experts, offering a more efficient way for Indians to consume news despite the country's diverse linguistic landscape and smartphone penetration gap.

Complementing Human Presenters:

Sana and Lisa, with their multilingual capabilities, enhance newsroom efficiency by handling repetitive tasks, allowing human presenters and journalists to focus on creative work. While Lisa currently communicates in English and Odia, Sana can speak 75 languages. The chatbot presenters, however, are not meant to replace human counterparts but rather work alongside them, passing the baton to human presenters for engaging debates with panelists.

AI in Journalism: Opportunities and Concerns:

The introduction of AI chatbot presenters opens up possibilities for 24-hour news coverage, linguistic diversity, and rapid data processing. Yet, concerns arise regarding job security, the lack of nuance in stories, and the absence of a human touch. Experts maintain that AI bots cannot replicate the observation and experience of on-the-ground reporting and investigative journalism. As media outlets experiment with AI's potential, the balance between innovation and preserving human journalism remains essential.