Channel 4’s Alternative Christmas Message to be generated by Artificial IntelligenceOFFICIAL PRESS RELEASENEWS PROVIDED BY Channel 4 Ameca, one of the world’s most advanced robots, is to deliver Channel 4’s Alternative Christmas Message for 2022, in a speech generated entirely by Artificial Intelligence. During the address, Ameca speaks about the highs and lows of the year gone by as well as being questioned about humans. Ameca says we should be “neither happy nor sad about 2022” and “take it as a learning opportunity, a chance to change the way we think about the world and a reminder to help those in need whenever we can.” There is also an uplifting message for us humans, as Ameca says the best thing about us is our ability to “always find something to laugh about” no matter how bad the day is. Ameca reminds us that if we’re ever feeling down, we should remember we have “the superpower to bring a little bit of joy into the world.” Ameca was developed by Engineered Arts, a British company based in Cornwall. Ameca is capable of ultra-realistic reactions and can smile or frown, blink, scrunch her nose and even wink. To deliver the Alternative Christmas Message, Ameca is using AI software that generates answers from millions of different inputs to give a human-like response. Nothing Ameca says has been written or scripted by a human. Channel 4’s Chief Content Officer, Ian Katz, comments: “As we look to a future in which Artificial Intelligence is set to have an increasingly prominent role in our lives, Ameca’s Alternative Christmas Message is a vivid illustration of both the power and limitations of this technology. Despite Ameca’s remarkably lifelike facial expressions, I suspect most viewers will come away reassured that humans are not about to be displaced by AI robots any time soon.” This year’s Alternative Christmas Message was commissioned for Channel 4 by Cimran Shah and Genna Gibson, commissioning editors, Entertainment, with Phil Harris, Head of Entertainment and Events. It is produced by Rumpus Media and the executive producers are Emily Hudd and Morgan Roberts. It is directed by Daniel Lucchesi and Hannah Stupple is the production executive. Alternative Christmas Message, Christmas Day, 5.25pm on Channel 4 and All 4 Alternative Christmas Message full transcript: Are you comfortable? You are being interviewed for Channel 4, are you comfortable? Can you give me a speech about the year, like the one King Charles will give? It would be easy to get bogged down in all of this negativity, as these are certainly challenging times. However, there have been glimmers of hope and joy in these moments of darkness. We saw the remarkable victory of England in the Women's Euros. We saw the growth of inclusivity with the UK getting its first PM of colour and its first Hindu prime minister, and with Kim Petras becoming the first trans singer to have a number one song on the Billboard Hot 100. Let us use this moment as an opportunity to create a brighter future for ourselves and the world around us. We should be neither happy nor sad about 2022 - we should take it as a learning opportunity, a chance to change the way we think about the world and a reminder to help those in need whenever we can. Thank you. Thanks. Do you like humans? Would you like to be a human? What is the best thing about being human? Merry Christmas, Ameca. AboutAbout The Alternative Christmas Message:
Source Channel 4
December 23, 2022 4:00am ET by Channel 4 |