 "Ukraine unveils ‘world’s first’ AI-generated foreign ministry spokesperson. How will it work?")
What’s the latest in the Russia-Ukraine war? If you ask Kyiv, the answers will be given by a virtual artificial intelligence spokesperson.
Ukraine has unveiled a new “digital person” who will now issue official statements and interact with the press on behalf of the country’s foreign ministry. Dressed in a dark suit, the world’s first AI spokeswoman introduced herself as Victoria Shi, in a video released by the ministry.
As per the country’s ministry, this is “for the first time in history” that a digital spokeswoman, who not only has a human-like figure but makes gestures with her hands and moves her head as she speaks, has been deployed.
👋 Meet Victoria Shi — a digital representative of the MFA of Ukraine, created using AI to provide timely updates on consular affairs!
— MFA of Ukraine 🇺🇦 (@MFA_Ukraine) May 1, 2024
For the first time in history, the MFA of Ukraine has presented a digital persona that will officially comment for the media. pic.twitter.com/KTtuCVR1ku
But why has Ukraine introduced an AI for such an important position? Here’s what we know.
1. Ukraine’s AI spokesperson will give updates on several issues related to the country including the war. A consular representative, Victoria Shi is based on the likeness of Ukrainian singer and influencer Rosalie Nombre who agreed to participate in the foreign ministry’s project, according to a report in Kyiv Post. In a video, Victoria said her first name symbolises “victory of Ukraine” and her last name “Shi” comes from the Ukrainian word for artificial intelligence: Shtuchniy Intelekt.
2. Victoria’s creation is credited to a homegrown firm The Game Changers, who previously collaborated with the foreign ministry to create a project “Living the War”, which made content related to ongoing conflict and helped the country raise foreign aid.
Impact Shorts
More Shorts3. Creating an AI spokesperson for consular issues was not a mere whim for warring Ukraine, it was done to save time and resources for the ministry, enabling the “real diplomats” to work more effectively and focus on other tasks of assisting citizens, Ukraine’s foreign affairs minister Dmytro Kuleba clarified.
4. The minister emphasised the introduction of this one-of-a-kind AI was to speed up all processes and take a “technological leap”.
“Diplomacy, not only in Ukraine but throughout the world, has always been a conservative field that was the last to introduce innovations…Ukrainian diplomacy is now strengthening its capabilities and making a technological leap, which no diplomatic service in the world has yet made,” Kuleba said.
5. In a teaser video, Shi says, “I will inform journalists of news about the work of consuls in protecting the rights and interests of Ukrainian citizens abroad, responding to incidents or emergency situations and other news.”
6. In the battle against digital interference, every original video featuring the consular representative will be accompanied by a QR code, directing users to a textual version of the same statement on the ministry’s official page. Videos lacking this QR code or accessed via unauthorised sites will not be deemed authentic.
7. Calling her creation a step forward, Shi said, “With my appointment, we are taking a step to the future.”
With input from agencies
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