Ukraine unveils AI spokesperson to 'provide timely updates' amid the war with Russia that looks like a real-life influencer

Ukraine has introduced an AI spokesperson to provide information about its ongoing war efforts against Russia's invasion of the country.

The AI spokesperson, named Victoria Shi – after 'victory' and the Ukrainian abbreviation of 'AI' –  is based on the likeness of Ukrainian singer and influencer Rosalie Nombre who agreed to participate pro bono.

The avatar is dressed in all black with aa Ukranian flag pin, hair pulled back and she's wearing studded earrings - but officials stressed the digital person and Nombre 'are two different people.'

In a video released by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA), Shi introduced herself and described her role and job functions, saying she was built to protect 'the rights and interests of Ukrainian citizens abroad.' 

Victoria Shi, an AI spokesperson for Ukraine's Ministry of Foreign Affairs (pictured) will provide information about the governments ongoing war efforts against Russia's invasion

Victoria Shi was created using the likeness of Rosalie Nombre (pictured), a Ukrainian singer and influencer, who agreed to participate pro bono

The decision to add an AI MFA spokesperson was 'not a whim,' but is a requirement of wartime efforts, the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine, Dmytro Kuleba, said in a Google-translated statement.

'After all,' he said, 'in order to achieve the results necessary for the country, it is necessary to speed up all processes and be one step ahead.'

Speaking about her role as a representative for Ukraine's MFA, Shi said in her video message: 'My job will be to report operational and verified information of the consular department of the MFA of Ukraine to the public.

'I will inform journalists of news about the work of consuls in protecting the rights and interests of Ukrainian citizens abroad, responding to incidents or emergency situations and other news.'

Ukraine using AI in other areas of its war efforts including locating land mines, identifying war crimes and relocating displaced citizens. Pictured: A warehouse in Odesa, Ukraine was destroyed during a missile attack by Russian troops in June 2023

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky met with the owner of the AI company Palantir in 2022 and has since used its AI data analytics software for its wartime efforts

The MFA has taken steps to protect Shi from hackers or digital counterfeiting by placing a QR code at the bottom of every video that will take viewers directly to a text version of the statement on the official government website.

If there isn't a QR code on the video, the MFA warned it isn't considered authentic, but also clarified that Shi is not a replacement for a human Ukrainian MFA spokesperson.

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Shi was invented to save the MFA's time and resources by allowing Ukrainian leaders to focus on other tasks like assisting citizens, Kuleba said.

'Diplomacy, not only in Ukraine but throughout the world, has always been a conservative field that was the last to introduce innovations,' he continued. 

'We are changing that. Ukrainian diplomacy is now strengthening its capabilities and making a technological leap, which no diplomatic service in the world has yet made.'

Russia invaded Ukraine in February 2022, falsely claiming the country was governed by neo-Nazis - President Vladimir Putin claimed he was sending in troops to 'demilitarize and denazify' Ukraine.

Ukraine's introduction of its MFA spokesperson comes as other countries have begun to debut AI news anchors who can read the news 24 hours a day, speak multiple languages and don't need to be paid.

China, India, Greece, Kuwait and Taiwan were among the first countries to introduce lifelike AI anchors to the newsroom.

China introduced the AI-generated anchor, Lisa, last year and representatives for Odisha TV - the news station Lisa hosts - said she is going to be helpful in the newsroom, the station's managing director, Jagi Mangat Panda told the China Morning Post.

'[Lisa] does the jobs that are repetitive and data analytical, so news people can focus on new angles and more creative work,' Panda said.