from the what-is-truth dept
RT, previously Russia Today, has appeared just a few occasions right here on Techdirt. Because the lengthy article about RT on Wikipedia explains, the TV channel has morphed from an try and create a state-supported worldwide information community alongside the strains of the BBC or France 24, however one which provided a Russian perspective on the world, to one thing that’s now thought to be little greater than a mouthpiece for Kremlin propaganda (disclosure: I used to be interviewed by Russia At present a few occasions over a decade in the past.).
Following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, RT is now banned in many Western nations, however nonetheless instructions audiences in different international locations and on-line. Because of this, appreciable sources are nonetheless expended on RT and on the packages it produces. It is usually persevering with to discover new methods to succeed in folks, and maybe to save cash, judging by a narrative on the unbiased Russian media website Agentstvo. It experiences on statements made by RT’s editor-in-chief, Margarita Simonyan (original in Russian, translation by DeepL):
A ‘important proportion’ of RT’s TV presenters don’t exist, they’ve been created by synthetic intelligence, Margarita Simonyan, editor-in-chief of the state channel, informed TVC [TV Centre, a channel owned by the city administration of Moscow]. In accordance with the propagandist, the factitious presenters additionally run their very own social networks.
‘Now we have a major proportion of TV presenters who don’t exist. They don’t exist, they’re synthetic utterly. This particular person doesn’t exist, and by no means did. This face by no means existed, we generated the voice, the whole lot else, the character,’ the RT chief stated.
One of many non-existent presenters had invited folks to subscribe to her Telegram channel, promising the primary readers [of the Telegram channel] amnesty ‘once we come to energy,’ Simonyan retold the joke of her ‘colleague.’
In fact, with the top of a propaganda channel, there’s at all times the danger that such statements are simply extra propaganda designed to mislead. However utilizing AI-generated presenters makes plenty of sense right here. They are going to by no means go off script, as people would possibly; the script that they learn could be tweaked endlessly with out the presenter getting drained or bored; and the spoken phrases may even be translated into the opposite languages wherein RT broadcasts, learn out by the identical presenter with totally different mouth actions, or by a totally totally different one. A later remark from Simonyan appears to substantiate that is taking place:
RT has given up on broadcast editors; now photographs are chosen or created by AI, Simonyan famous. This makes the method less expensive, she defined. AI is concerned within the dubbing of a brand new movie in regards to the Nice Patriotic Battle [Russia’s name for the Eastern Front in World War II], utilizing it to re-translate Vladimir Putin’s phrases into different languages, Simonyan stated.
Journalism, because the ‘darkish one’ of professions, will ultimately disappear, just like the coachmen did, the propagandist believes.
Transferring in the direction of a totally digital, AI-generated community, full with AI presenters and editors, would increase big questions if the plan have been to current typical information reporting or options, with the underlying goal of presenting information and the reality (no matter meaning). However as a community that’s designed to broadcast Russian propaganda, these questions are irrelevant. All that issues for Simonyan and her final boss, Vladimir Putin, is whether or not the propaganda works, and if it may be generated in bigger volumes, and extra cheaply. Sadly, as is clear from on a regular basis expertise on-line, AI-generated fakes and lies do certainly work remarkably nicely. What’s much less clear is that if different broadcasters, particularly state-funded ones, might be in a position to withstand the strain to begin utilizing extra AI, at the least for backroom editorial capabilities, however possibly even for presenters, in an effort to compete on this courageous new (synthetic) world.
Observe me @glynmoody on Bluesky and on Mastodon.
Filed Underneath: ai, editors, kremlin, margarita simonyan, propaganda, russia, ukraine, virtual presenters, vladimir putin, world war ii
Firms: rt
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