Artificial intelligence. “Programmed”: in the Arab world, virtual presenters invade the screens

Fareed, Fedha, Noura… For more than a year, many media in the Middle East have introduced their host created by artificial intelligence. A technological feat that questions the role of journalists in a region where exercising this profession is already difficult.

Ten days ago, the Jordanian satellite channel Roya TV introduced its new star presenter with great fanfare: his name is Fareed, and he was “program” to speak both Arabic and English.

“Program”, as the pan-Arab site writes Raseef22, because Fareed is actually a virtual animator created by artificial intelligence (AI). The first in Jordan, boasts the chain.

Last month is the site Kuwait News, affiliated with Kuwait Times, the first English-language daily in Kuwait, which presented Fedha, a presenter, also created by artificial intelligence.

As written Independent Arabia, the Arabic-language version of the eponymous British newspaper, these AI-powered presenters “take Arab screens by storm”.

Many avatars

In reality, Fareed and Fedha are only the latest avatars of a trend that has been installed in the media galaxy of the Arab world for several months.

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