AI anchors to helm DD Kisan relaunch on May 26

PTI, May 24, 2024, 8:05 PM IST

Credit: X/@DDKisanChannel

New Delhi: In a first for an Indian government channel, Doordarshan is all set to unveil two Artificial Intelligence (AI) news anchors for its farmer-focused channel DD Kisan on May 26.

Named AI Krish and AI Bhoomi, the virtual anchors will front a relaunch of the channel after nine years on air, showcasing a new look and updated content aimed at the country’s agricultural community, according to agriculture ministry.

The AI anchors, capable of reading news 24×7 without breaks, will provide real-time updates on agricultural research, mandi prices, weather alerts and government schemes to the farming community across the country.

A key highlight is their ability to communicate the content in 50 different Indian and foreign languages.

“From Kashmir to Kanyakumari, and Gujarat to Arunachal, these AI anchors will disseminate vital agriculture-related information in regional languages”, the ministry statement said.

First launched in 2015, DD Kisan was India’s first government TV channel solely dedicated to farmers, aiming to educate rural areas on balanced crop farming, livestock rearing and holistic village development.

The use of AI presenters is an innovative move for a government broadcast network. While critics question AI’s ability to replicate the human emotions vital for mass communication, the technology’s multilingual capabilities and non-stop availability could be advantageous.

User acceptance and viewer engagement metrics on May 26 and after will determine if Doordarshan’s AI experiment is a success.