WUZHEN, CHINA — Chinese state media is using "virtual" anchors to read the news.

Xinhua News Agency partnered with search engine Sogou.com to create artificial intelligence news anchors. These are said to be digital composites that deliver the news.

he composites use the likeness of real Xinhua presenter. However, facial expressions and mouth movements are synthesized and animated via deep learning.

AI anchors are able to read out any text inputted by human editors into its system, using synthetic voices created through composite audio recorded from the human anchors.

The virtual anchors are reportedly able to read out any text written by human editors into their program. This is said to use synthetic voices created through composite audio recorded from human anchors.

Xinhua has two AI anchors, one delivering news in English and another in Chinese.
They claim these can work 24 hours a day on its website and social media.

The state-run agency claims the virtual clones can present the news as naturally as their human counterparts, but anyone who's seen the broadcast knows that's fake news.

Experts likewise pointed out that the computerized voice and dull delivery take out the connection that viewers typically form with human anchors, who are often seen as trusted public figures.