At Vox, Vox Day offers an interesting perspective on the “Will AI take my job?” question, popping up everywhere now:

I don’t really understand why obviously useless people like “newsreaders” and “presenters” are surprised that they’re eventually going to be replaced by AI. I mean, they were expensive and they never actually did anything that required any thought whatsoever anyhow.

Especially since so much news is taken directly from the Associated Press, it should be trivial for the average television station to replace all of its “newsreaders” and “anchors” with a quality AI system, which will also save a considerable amount of money on salaries for people who have little to offer except mellifluous voices and good hair.

“AI Replaces the Unnecessary,” (October 31, 2024 )

What sparked Vox’s train of thought was a story out of Poland:

OFF Radio Krakow in Poland has sparked outrage after firing several presenters and replacing them with artificial intelligence (AI) programmed to interview high-profile dead people using AI-generated responses. On Oct. 22, OFF Radio Krakow launched its radical initiative featuring a simulated interview with the late poet Wieslawa Szymborska, who won the Nobel Prize for Literature in 1996. The AI-hosted segment employed a computer-generated voice designed to mimic Szymborska’s tone as she “discussed” this year’s Nobel Prize in Literature following approval from the poet’s foundation.

The foundation believes the innovative presentation could help introduce the works of Szymborska to new audiences, but the response from the public and media has been largely critical. Fans and cultural advocates argue that the use of AI to impersonate deceased individuals crosses an ethical line and threatens the integrity of journalism. (Related: Los Angeles-based TV channel set to launch AI news anchors in 2024.)

Laura Harris, “Polish radio station FIRES presenters, replaces them with AI,” Natural News, October 29, 2024

We will see whether the all-AI production catches on.

But is it as simple as that?

It’s not clear that AI could entirely replace the mellifluous voices and good hair. One element of fan loyalty is the sense that the person in some way cares about or represents the viewer. AI personas may not have that effect on enough fans.

Maybe it’s the same sort of issue as “French wine.” French wine comes in all qualities, of course, but the perception that French wine is good wine is not easily bested by a “merely” good wine from Ontario (Canada) – even if the Ontario wine is rated just as good by experts.

Possibly, the main thing that the advance of AI in newsrooms will do is make clear how much of current news broadcasting is mere showmanship or partisanship.

You may also wish to read: Washington Post owner defends his refusal to endorse Harris. He sees media endorsing a candidate as part of the declining trust problem. That’s likely true but for more trust, the Post also needs to be closer to readers.