Venezuela’s oppressive government arrests journalists who report on election fraud or public discontent. So the media created artificially-intelligent entities to serve as news anchors. These entities can’t be arrested, unlike human beings:
“Hello,” says the news presenter, as she effortlessly switches from Spanish to English to give her audience a summary of the day’s biggest stories….she seems the very image of a news anchor. Except, perhaps, for her name. As she introduces herself as The Girl (“La Chama”) – and her co-presenter announces himself as The Dude (“El Pana”) – the viewer gets the first hint there is more to this newscast than meets the eye. Then she adds, “Before we continue, in case you haven’t noticed, we want to tell you that we are not real.”
Welcome to “Venezuela Retweets,” an AI-anchored news show created by a group of media organizations who want to shelter their real-life journalists from a crackdown launched by strongman Nicolas Maduro’s government following July’s disputed election. While in much of the world, journalists view the use of artificial intelligence as a looming threat to livelihoods, in Venezuela – where showing your face on a news report can conceivably land you in jail – many view it more favorably; as protection….Prompting this leap into a brave new world of technology is that real-life journalists in the country have found reporting the news an increasingly dangerous business since Maduro’s [fraudulent] reelection – a result that has been hotly disputed by the opposition and caused widespread skepticism abroad….at least 16 journalists have been detained in the government crackdown that followed the vote and the nationwide protests that erupted after it…..It was against this backdrop that the idea for “Venezuela Retweets” formed, explained “Roberto,” the managing editor of a digital publication in Caracus that is part of the collective behind it.
“We started removing bylines…but there’s only so much you can do,” said Roberto, who requested CNN use a pseudonym out of concern for his security. While none of his journalists have yet been detained, two employees left the publication last month out of fear of what might happen to them, Roberto said…. Rather than focus on live broadcasts or written articles, its digitally created avatars simply read the news in clips that can be posted on the likes of Instagram and Facebook, or downloaded and forwarded on WhatsApp and other messaging services. (Sharing the clips on X is more problematic, as Venezuela banned the use of the app altogether when Maduro accused tech tycoon Elon Musk of being part of a neo-fascist plot to overthrow his government.)…The Dude himself is only too aware of that need for security, explaining to CNN that “Even photos of the demonstrations have to be distorted because the government can use them to track down citizens who are protesting the election results.” “Over fifteen hundred people have been detained,” The Dude added.
In the African nation of Kenya, farmers are using artificial intelligence to increase their crops.
Another African nation, Zambia, has used artificial intelligence to find new mineral wealth.
Scientists have developed tiny robots made of human cells to repair damaged cells. Nanorobots are also being used to fight cancer by cutting off the blood supply of tumors.
Robots with artificial intelligence are spreading on Japanese farms. In the U.S., farming robots now use artificial intelligence to kill 100,000 weeds per hour. Drones with artificial intelligence will make farming easier.
Artificial intelligence is also greatly improving the detection of many different diseases. Artificial intelligence has discovered a new material that could reduce lithium use in batteries and thus reduce our dependence on China. Artificial intelligence is outperforming radiologists in detecting prostate cancer. Artificial intelligence is also being used to generate highly-effective antibodies to fight disease. Doctors overseas are using artificial intelligence to detect cases of breast cancer more effectively.
Artificial intelligence has discovered a new material that could reduce lithium use in batteries and thus reduce our dependence on China.
The usefulness of artificial intelligence is a reason to fight federal legislation that would micromanage AI algorithms.
