OTV introduces 'Lisa': Odisha's first AI news anchor

OTV, a private satellite news channel, made a remarkable entrance into the regional television broadcasting landscape in Odisha by introducing the state's first virtual news presenter, Lisa, created using artificial intelligence (AI). The unveiling ceremony took place in Bhubaneswar on Sunday.

Dressed in an exquisite Odisha handloom saree, the AI-powered news anchor will deliver news in both Odia and English languages across OTV Network's television and digital platforms. During the event, Jagi Mangat Panda, the Managing Director of OTV, expressed her excitement about the channel's latest achievement in television journalism. She stated, "With the introduction of Odisha's first AI news anchor, we have set another milestone. AI will assist us in performing repetitive tasks and analyzing vast amounts of data."

Litisha Mangat Panda, the Head of Digital Business at OTV, highlighted the extensive and collaborative effort involved in developing this groundbreaking technology. She acknowledged that while the AI news anchor might not be as fluent as a human presenter, it surpasses the capabilities of platforms like Google Translate. Panda added, "Lisa leverages the power of AI and LLM to deliver news accurately and efficiently. By combining cutting-edge machine learning algorithms with a lifelike virtual presenter, Lisa aims to be the perfect fusion of technology and journalistic excellence. As we embrace this transformation, we are committed to responsible and inclusive practices, ensuring fairness and transparency."

Previously launched AI news anchors

The introduction of AI news anchors has previously sparked discussions in India. In March, Kalli Purie, Vice-Chairperson of India Today, launched Sana, the first AI anchor for Aaj Tak, generating both curiosity and debates about the emergence of computer-generated avatars in news broadcasting. Following suit, 'Fedha' made its debut on Kuwait News' Twitter handle, affiliated with the Kuwait Times, the following month.

It is worth noting that China's Xinhua news agency pioneered the world's first AI-powered male news anchor in 2018. By blending AI technology with the images and voices of human anchors, they created a seamless virtual presenter. Additionally, Ren Xiaorong, an AI-powered host, allowed users to ask questions related to the annual plenary sessions of the National People's Congress and the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference, held in March of this year.