Venezuela's AI News Anchors Shield Journalists Amid Government Crackdown
In a bold move to safeguard journalists in Venezuela, one of the country’s newest news agencies has introduced AI-generated news anchors to deliver headlines while protecting human reporters from government repression. The AI anchors, named “El Pana” and “La Chama,” provide news updates in a realistic manner, despite being entirely virtual creations.
This initiative, known as "Operation Retweet," was launched by the Colombia-based organization Connectas, led by director Carlos Huertas. The project aims to disseminate news from a network of independent media outlets in Venezuela amidst a severe government crackdown on journalists and protesters. Huertas explained that the use of artificial intelligence as news presenters was designed to minimize risk to actual reporters who continue to face significant dangers.
Since mid-June, at least ten journalists have been arrested in Venezuela, with eight still in custody on charges including terrorism, according to Reporters Without Borders. The government’s crackdown, which human rights groups and the opposition argue is part of a broader attempt to suppress dissent and criticism, has intensified following a contentious election dispute.
“The use of AI in journalism here is a blend of technology and reporting,” Huertas said. “It helps us bypass the increasing repression and risk faced by our colleagues on the ground, as there is no physical person to arrest.”
The Venezuelan government has not commented on the AI journalism project. Official responses to recent journalist arrests have also been lacking. The political situation remains volatile with both President Nicolás Maduro and the opposition claiming victory in the July 28 election. Maduro, who has been in power since 2013, is supported by the Supreme Court and the electoral authority, which has yet to release complete vote counts due to alleged cyber-attacks.
The opposition, meanwhile, has released what it claims are over 80% of the vote tallies, showing a decisive win for their candidate, Edmundo Gonzalez. Many international observers and Western countries have criticized the election conditions and called for the release of full vote counts. The ensuing protests have resulted in at least 27 deaths and over 2,400 arrests. The government has responded with further detentions under “Operation Knock Knock,” while accusing protesters of inciting hate and being influenced by foreign entities, a claim denied by the United States.
