In China, presenters are starting to be replaced by holograms… Not all of them, not yet anyway, but there is already a virtual presenter designed by the Xinhua agency, in association with Sogou, the Chinese search engine. This TV presenter like no other was unveiled at the World Internet Conference, and he is larger than life.
Controlled by artificial intelligence
Chinese researchers working for the Xinhua news agency used the physical appearance and voice of a presenter from the channel to make a holographic clone. Not much more is known about the technology used, but when we look at it on our screens, it really does look like it is made of flesh and blood. It seems that it is not simply repeating a text, but is controlled by an artificial intelligence, allowing it to express itself and present information or topics.
The inventors explain that all you have to do is load the images of another human, as well as a voice, for the hologram to take on another appearance. On the presentation video, the virtual animator explains that it is not real and that it is the result of holographic technology. The result is at least astonishing, at least from a screen.
It is not clear what AI is capable of, and the limits of this technology are unknown, but the virtual TV presenter is now part of the Xinhua team. It can be found on the group's official website, as well as on some of the channel's mobile applications.
Xinhua's first English #HAVE anchor makes debut at the World Internet Conference that opens in Wuzhen, China Wednesday pic.twitter.com/HOkWnnfHdW
- China Xinhua News (@XHNews) November 7, 2018
What is the point ?
The Chinese are decidedly pragmatic and do not hide it. The designers believe that holograms could replace real presenters in the near future. They explain that the channel would save money since it would no longer pay salaries, and would have immortal presenters at its disposal, never sick, who do not sleep and do not go on vacation.
Obviously, poor humans like us will have a lot of difficulty being as efficient... That said, even if technological progress is impressive, we are still very far from seeing the arrival of an artificial intelligence capable of having wit, humor and a really solid repartee. So, it is not tomorrow that we will replace our talk show hosts with a few cold and emotionless holograms.
