Channel 4’s Dispatches claims to be first British programme to use AI presenter

Channel 4’s Dispatches has claimed to be the first British television programme to use an artificial intelligence (AI) presenter.

Will AI Take My Job? Dispatches, which aired on Monday evening, investigated how AI automation is changing workplaces across industries, including law, music, fashion and medicine, revealing at the end of the show that its own presenter, Aisha Gaban, was entirely AI-generated.

The AI presenter said: “AI is going to touch everybody’s lives in the next few years. And for some, it will take their jobs. Call centre workers? Customer service agents? Maybe even TV presenters like me. Because I’m not real. In a British TV first, I’m an AI presenter.

“Some of you might have guessed: I don’t exist, I wasn’t on location reporting this story. My image and voice were generated using AI.”

Highlighting the growing accessibility of AI tools in the job market, the show revealed that nearly three quarters of UK bosses have already introduced AI into tasks once carried out by humans.

The stunt aimed to raise a wider question about trust and authenticity in the digital age with the broadcaster adding that it will not be using AI presenters regularly.

Louisa Compton, head of news and current affairs, specialist factual and sport at Channel 4, said: “The use of an AI presenter is not something we will be making a habit of at Channel 4 – instead our focus in news and current affairs is on premium, fact checked, duly impartial and trusted journalism – something AI is not capable of doing.

“But this stunt does serve as a useful reminder of just how disruptive AI has the potential to be – and how easy it is to hoodwink audiences with content they have no way of verifying.”

The AI anchor was produced by AI fashion brand Seraphinne Vallora for Kalel Productions, using prompts to create a digital human capable of delivering on-camera performances.

Stream Will AI Take My Job? Dispatches on Channel4.com