Kuwait News, a Kuwaiti media outlet, has unveiled a virtual news presenter generated using artificial intelligence, named “Fedha”. She appeared on the Twitter account of the Kuwait News website on Saturday as an image of a woman, hair uncovered, wearing a black jacket and white T-shirt. Fedha is the first AI-powered news presenter in Kuwait and she asked viewers what kind of news they prefer. This is a major milestone in the use of AI in the media industry and it will be interesting to see how this technology is used in the future.
Fedha is an AI-powered news website affiliated with the Kuwait Times, the Gulf region’s first English-language daily. The site is a test of AI’s potential to offer “new and innovative content”, and in the future could adopt the Kuwaiti accent and present news bulletins on its Twitter account, which has 1.2 million followers. The name Fedha is a popular, old Kuwaiti name that refers to silver, and is a combination of the two concepts. The Kuwait Times and Fedha are both committed to providing readers with the latest news and information from the region.
Fedha has become a symbol of the country’s diverse population of Kuwaitis and expatriates. The 13-second video of Fedha generated a lot of reactions on social media, including from journalists. AI has the potential to bring many benefits, such as in healthcare, but also carries the risk of spreading disinformation and threatening jobs and artistic integrity. Kuwait ranks 158 out of 180 countries and territories in the Reporters Without Borders 2022 Press Freedom Index. Fedha is a representation of the country’s diverse population and a reminder of the potential of AI, as well as the need to ensure its responsible use.
