Swiss Radio's Experimental Use of Artificial Intelligence; Robots Conducted Programs

A radio station in Switzerland tested the use of artificial intelligence in its daily programming on Thursday. According to the Associated Press, this unconventional experiment, described by the managers of the French-speaking station "Couleur 3" as the first of its kind in the world, had AI in charge of program execution and music broadcasting. The programs aired from six in the morning to seven in the evening, using a voice created from five real speakers, and the music was entirely computer-generated, featuring pieces that had not been heard before. The station reminded listeners every 20 minutes that AI was responsible for the program execution and music broadcasting. The emergence of "ChatGPT" last fall, which is based on "generative AI," has not only been met with great enthusiasm but has also raised concerns. Many are worried about the long-term economic, cultural, social, and even political implications of using artificial intelligence in the future. Some musicians claim that AI has ruined their musical style. The radio station, which is part of the Swiss National Radio and Television, is trying to raise awareness about the use of AI in light of these concerns. Antoine Moulton, the head of Couleur 3, refers to this experimental project as a lesson on how to live with AI. He notes that some are worried about the potential elimination of radio presenters, staff layoffs, or the unemployment of journalists, stating that the presence of this technology cannot be ignored but should be mastered and its use limited. The voices of Couleur 3's presenters were created with the help of the software company "Respeecher," which collaborates with Hollywood studios, with most of its employees residing in Ukraine. According to the radio station's head, the training process for this project took about three months, with a significant portion of the music created by the computer, and AI generating the voices of the presenters. To avoid any potential confusion with real news, humorous and fictional stories were selected for the voices created for the news presenters, such as a temporary flight ban over Geneva due to citizen complaints about noise, the unveiling of the first underwater restaurant in Lake Zurich, or extraterrestrial tourists mistaking swans in the Swiss lake for inflatable toys. AI was tasked with providing news that might be read in 2070. According to Swiss public radio, some listeners did not welcome this experience, considering it a waste of time for a station funded by public money. Antoine Moulton stated that 90% of the received messages were positive, but listeners complained about the lack of a human element, feeling that robots were in control and that there was no surprise.