Artificial intelligence (AI) is a branch of computer science that deals with the development of systems that can perform tasks that require intellectual abilities. AI seeks to create computer programs and algorithms that can solve complex problems similar to those solved by the human brain.
For example, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine (MFA) recently introduced Ukraine’s first AI-powered digital personality to officially comment on consular information for the media and citizens. The person is named Victoria Shi, and she is based on a real person, and there are many interesting details behind her development.
Victoria Shi is based on Ukrainian singer Rosalie Nombre, who agreed to become a prototype for the AI representative. The project team digitized her using cameras. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs emphasizes that the consular representative and her real prototype are two different people.
“It is important to note that the consular representative and her real prototype are two different people, and only the digital person Victoria Shi makes official comments on behalf of the consular service of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs,” the Foreign Ministry said.
In her first video message, Victoria Shi said the following: “My name symbolizes our main goal – the victory of Ukraine, and my surname is the artificial intelligence that created me. My job will be to provide the public with timely and verified information from the Consular Department of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine, I will inform journalists about the work of consuls to protect the rights and interests of Ukrainian citizens abroad, respond to incidents or emergencies, and other news.”
Victoria Shi’s comments will be published on the official resources of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine, its website and social media pages, and will be transmitted to journalists by the MFA press service.
According to Ukraine’s Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba, the use of an AI-generated digital persona for consular commentary is “primarily about saving time and resources of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs,” as there is no need to distract real diplomats from their work, who can be more effective and focus on tasks of helping citizens.
The minister emphasized that the active use of AI technologies in the work of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs is not a whim, but a requirement of wartime. After all, in order to achieve the results necessary for the country, it is necessary to speed up all processes and be one step ahead. Minister’s quote: “The creation of a digital consular representative is part of a broader strategy for the systematic implementation of advanced technologies using artificial intelligence in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine. Diplomacy, not only in Ukraine, but all over the world, has always been a conservative sphere that was the last to innovate. We are changing this. Ukrainian diplomacy is now strengthening its capabilities and making a technological leap that no other diplomatic service in the world has ever made.”
The technology is well protected
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs has provided several levels of protection for Victoria Shi against digital fakes. For example, each original video of the consular representative has a QR code that leads to the text version of the same commentary on the official page of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. If the QR code is missing or leads to any other site, the video is not authentic.
In addition, the consular representative is not a replacement for the spokesperson of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine. After the end of Oleh Nikolenko’s term in office, the MFA has already held a competition to fill the vacancy. The winner has already been selected and is undergoing special checks.
Who is behind the project?
The project of the consular AI representative of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine was implemented by the team of the NGO “The Game Changers” with the assistance of the NGO “Nazovni Tech”.
Earlier, in partnership with The Game Changers, the MFA of Ukraine created a successful VR project “Living the War”, which immerses foreigners anywhere in the world in the reality of Russian aggression using virtual reality glasses and helps consolidate support for Ukraine abroad.
The main tasks of the digital persona are as follows
– to inform the public by delivering up-to-date and verified information from the consular service of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine
-to inform journalists about the work of consuls in protecting the rights and interests of Ukrainian citizens abroad
-tell about the MFA’s response to incidents or emergencies abroad.
Prospects and benefits of a digital persona
- Consistency in communications: A digital persona can provide consistent, controlled and error-free messages. This can be particularly useful for managing diplomatic nuances and complex information.
- Accessibility: A digital spokesperson can be available around the clock, providing real-time responses and updates to the public and media. This improves the ministry’s ability to manage crises or urgent updates without delay.
- Multilingual communication: With the right technology, a digital persona can communicate in multiple languages, greatly expanding the reach and inclusiveness of the ministry’s communications.
- Cost savings in the long run: while initial setup and development can be resource-intensive, in the long run, a digital representative can reduce costs related to staffing and training.
Experience of other countries
Artificial intelligence (AI) hosts are increasingly being used in the media industry. Several media outlets around the world have experimented with virtual anchors to broadcast news. Here are a few notable examples:
– China. In 2018, the state news agency Xinhua introduced one of the first AI-powered news anchors. Such anchors report news by imitating human facial expressions and speech habits using pre-recorded video of real anchors and text-to-speech technology.
– South Korea. In 2020, the cable news channel MBN introduced an AI-based news anchor that was modeled after a popular human news anchor. This virtual figure uses AI to read news texts, which is a more cost-effective solution for news content production.
– USA and UK. Companies such as Synthesia in the UK and OpenAI in the US are developing technologies that allow creating digital avatars that can generate realistic video content from textual input. These technologies are being implemented by various media companies to produce content quickly and efficiently.
The development of artificial intelligence raises numerous ethical and legal issues for society, including the possibility and appropriateness of protecting AI rights. Currently, AI is a tool created by humans to perform certain tasks and does not possess self-awareness or emotions that are the basis for granting rights. However, the rapid progress in the field of AI is sparking discussions about the future prospects of such technologies, which may approach a level that requires a revision of traditional ideas about subjects of law. What Ukraine has done is still waiting to be widely discussed and admired, experts say. The success of such an initiative will largely depend on ongoing management, updates, and public acceptance.
A digital face / artificial intelligence / copyright / intellectual property / Ministry of Foreign Affairs
