Ukraine has introduced a digital spokesperson named Victoria Shi, constructed using artificial intelligence technology to deliver official statements on behalf of the Ukrainian Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
The ministry mentioned that it is employing a virtual speaker for the first time in history to deliver its messages that are still being crafted by individuals.
The company’s spokesperson, dressed in a dark suit, introduced herself as the virtual persona named Victoria Shi during a promotional presentation that was shared across social media platforms.
The persona gestures with her hands and nods her head while speaking. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs’ media office stated that Shi’s comments are not generated by artificial intelligence but are authored by real individuals.
Dmytro Kuleba, the Minister of Foreign Affairs in Ukraine, mentioned that “artificial intelligence played a role in creating the apparent image of the official speaker on behalf of the ministry,” adding that the new official speaker represents a technological achievement not reached by any diplomatic services worldwide so far.
Kuleba stated that the primary goal of establishing the system is to assist diplomats in saving time and resources.
The appearance and tone of voice for the Shi persona were designed to mimic Rosalie Nomber, a well-known media figure born in the city of Donetsk, currently under Russian control in eastern Ukraine.
Nomber utilizes her Instagram account to address stereotypical images related to diverse Ukrainians as well as individuals who grew up speaking Russian.
The Ministry mentioned that Nomber has agreed to have her voice and image used without compensation, emphasizing the distinction between Shi and Nomber as separate individuals, with the official speaker being solely the AI-based persona.
To prevent any falsification, quick response codes are used to link the information to its original texts available on the ministry’s website.
Discussing consular services, she stated: “I inform journalists about the updates related to the consular work and their efforts to defend the rights and interests of Ukrainians residing abroad, as well as their handling of emergency situations or other relevant incidents.”
In recent years, updates have been made to institutional structures and governmental procedures in Ukraine, but the Ministry’s initiative to adopt artificial intelligence technologies represents a bold and remarkable step.
In 2019, the government established a ministry dedicated to digital transformation, and the ministry took a step further by creating the Diya government electronic portal, aiming to contribute to combating corruption within the country by reducing human interference in governmental administrative procedures.
