Venezuela’s latest attempt to protect journalists amid ongoing government crackdowns involves using artificial intelligence (AI) news anchors to deliver headlines. Named “El Pana” and “La Chama,” these AI-generated figures were introduced by Connectas,

The news show has been launched in response to the crackdown on ... in safeguarding journalism and ensuring the flow of information. Meanwhile, the AI anchors, The Girl and The Dude, have become popular figures in the country.

Uncanny Anchors A local newspaper in Kauai, Hawaii called The Garden Island is using AI to power fake newscasters, a former journalist for the Island reports for Wired. As human journalist and former Island employee Guthrie Scrimgeour writes for Wired,

The news anchors are generated using AI, and they look, sound and move realistically. Read more at straitstimes.com.

While journalists in much of the world see artificial intelligence as a threat to their livelihoods, in Venezuela – where showing your face on a news report can conceivably land you in jail – many see it more favorably;