AI ‘reporters’ Ivan, Aira debut on PH state radio
Meet Ivan and Aira, the newest “reporters” at your service.
The Presidential Broadcast Service-Bureau of Broadcast Services (PBS-BBS) introduced the two artificial intelligence (AI) reporters during its “AI Talks” radio program, which airs every Saturday morning.
PBS-BBS director general Fernando Amparo Sanga said the launch of the AI reporters coincided with the network’s 78th founding anniversary and supported the Marcos administration’s push to reach a wider audience and combat fake news.
Sanga said the debut of Ivan and Aira was expected to attract more listeners and ensure the effective delivery of the government’s message to the public.
‘Input’ still human
It would also eliminate political bias as AI “cannot be used for opinions.”
“Actually, it’s still us who writes the news and information that these AI reporter delivers. We provide the input. They do the execution. And since this is AI generated, it is faster, it enhances the content,” Sanga told the PNA.
“And more importantly, the creative execution will attract more audience to our government platforms like Radyo Pilipinas. Hence, we expect to reach more of our target audience,” he added.
Not the enemy
On Aug. 7, Sanga signed a memorandum of understanding with Pocholo Gonzales, dubbed the “Godfather of Filipino AI Voices,” to launch “AI Talks with The VoiceMaster,” the first AI-driven program that airs on Radyo Pilipinas on Saturdays from 8 a.m. to 9 a.m.
Sanga emphasized the importance of harnessing new technologies, including AI, to deliver essential public services in a more effective and far-reaching way.
Gonzales, also producer and host of the show, said AI is not an enemy but an effective tool for disseminating news.
“This is not just any program … it is a revolution in the way news and knowledge are delivered. Balitang AI, the world’s first AI-animated news reporter, shows that we can be trailblazers, not just followers,” Gonzales said.
“This is the time of the New Filipino—a generation that is not afraid of change, but ready to embrace it. A generation that is aware, knowledgeable, and responsible. With AI, we can cleanse the digital world of lies and create a future full of hope and goodness),” he added.
