A decision by The Garden Island, a local newspaper in Kauai, Hawaii, to replace human journalists with AI-generated newscasters drew a backlash for their poor, robotic quality, lack of authenticity and impact on jobs.

Developed by Israeli startup Caledo, AI-powered avatars "James" and "Rose" co-present the news. The initiative is part of a broader one that aims to convert written news articles into dynamic broadcasts, which Caledo claims to be more "engaging".

But the bots drew sharp criticism from journalists at the paper's parent company, Oahu Publications, for their robotic delivery and lack of authenticity.

Some argued the move represents a form of "digital colonialism," as it replaces local journalism with AI technology that lacks genuine community connection. Union representatives expressed concerns about the implications for job security.

The videos (example) have received few views on YouTube and Instagram, and most comments are highly critical of the endeavour.

➕ November 2024. "James" and "Rose" were fired by The Garden Island. Caledo called the experiment a "success".