VIDEO: SA's new AI newsreader "a first for Africa"
CNBC Africa has a new newsreader - and it’s an AI avatar.
AI - the word that took 2023 by storm, and clearly, there’s an excellent reason why.
People across the globe have been familiar with the term AI for a few years, but 2023 truly showed us the practical implementation of AI and how it could be used in our daily lives.
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A great example comes as the television business news channel CNBC Africa introduced its new artificial intelligence-powered newsreader on Friday, which Bizcommunity called "a first for the African continent".
Watch here:
According to the news outlet, the avatar, which is a "blend of AI and human likeness", is modelled on Chanel Retief, who works for Africa Business News (ABN), the parent company of CNBC Africa.
For those who look at this with concern, the news outlet made it clear that implementing AI is to augment human productivity, not replace it.
"The AI newsreader will work in tandem with CNBC Africa's team of journalists, analysts and anchors to create 'a mix of human expertise and technological efficiency,'" said CNBC Africa.
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"We're incredibly excited about this new chapter for CNBC Africa," says Sid Wahi, Managing Director of CNBC Africa.
"As a first step, by introducing our AI newsreader, we're not just adopting new technology; we're embracing a future where humans and machines collaborate to deliver news in ways we once only imagined."
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