MBN deepfake 24/7 news anchor seen to threaten jobs

The launch of South Korea's first virtual news anchor by broadcaster MBN News was met with acclaim regarding its realism, tempered with concerns about its potential impact on jobs. 

The product of a collaboration between MBN and DeepBrain, the AI-powered deepfake version of high-profile journalist Kim Ju Ha was said to be surprisingly similar to her real version, even down to her hand gestures. 

MBN said AI newscasters would provide good support during natural disasters and other emergencies as they are always available. It also argued the technology would reduce labour and production costs. 

However, some experts, commentators and consumers suggested it was a potential harbinger of broadcast TV job losses.

System

• DeepBrain website

• MBN News (2020). The first meeting between a human anchor and an AI anchor

News, commentary, analysis

• https://www.allkpop.com/article/2020/11/viewers-react-to-ai-news-anchor-delivering-the-news

• https://www.eg24.news/2020/11/south-korean-tvs-first-robot-news-anchor-will-ai-end-the-future-of-media.html

• https://www.ubergizmo.com/2020/11/south-korea-ai-news-anchor/

• https://koreajoongangdaily.joins.com/2020/11/10/entertainment/television/MBN-AI-artificial-intelligence/20201110153900457.html

• https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-56278411

• https://wonderfulengineering.com/south-koreas-ai-powered-news-anchor-looks-shockingly-realistic/

• https://pop.inquirer.net/102065/south-korea-cable-channel-debuts-its-first-ai-news-anchor

• https://english.kyodonews.net/news/2020/11/5fc3c846c868-ai-powered-virtual-news-anchor-comes-to-s-korean-tv.html

• http://koreabizwire.com/south-koreas-first-ai-news-anchor-makes-debut/174140