As Doordarshan Kisan marked its 9th anniversary on May 26th, it revealed its aim to embark on a brand-new journey by introducing Krish and Bhoomi, the first AI anchors in India’s government broadcasting history.
The two AI bots can reportedly speak in around 50 different languages. Moreover, they are computer-generated figures, they are capable of broadcasting news and information 24 hours a day, 365 days a year, without the need for breaks and rest. Thus, they will be able to provide necessary and much-needed information about agricultural research, including market prices and weather forecasts, at all times.
This precedent-setting move highlights Doordarshan Kisan’s commitment to leveraging cutting-edge technology to serve India’s agricultural community. They likely followed the example of several pioneering organizations across the world, such as the Chinese state news agency Xinhua, which introduced the world’s first AI anchor, Qiu Hao, in 218. This paved the way for innovative technology in other countries, including India, where the India Today Group made history in 2023 by introducing human-like Sana, the country’s first AI news anchor, on their Aaj Tak Hindi news channel.
Doordarshan Kisan was first launched in May 2015 and aims at providing farmers with real-time information, enabling and empowering them to take timely decisions regarding agriculture. The channel was aimed to focus on the three-dimensional aspects of farming, that is, environmental, economic, and sociocultural), and its capabilities will likely be enhanced further with its new AI technology.
