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The Chinese state news agency has unveiled a virtual news reader sporting a sharp suit and a somewhat robotic voice.
According to Xinhua News, the presenter "can read texts as naturally as a professional presenter", although not everyone agrees.
"Hello, you look at information in English," said the English presenter at the beginning of his first report.
Sogou, a Chinese search engine, was involved in the development of the system.
"I will work tirelessly to keep you informed, as the texts will be typed in my system without interruption," said the presenter in an introductory video.
"I'm looking forward to bringing you all-new news experiences."
There is also a Chinese language version with a different face.
According to Xinhua, presenters can "work" 24/7 on their website and on social networks, "reducing the cost of producing information."
The agency points out that they can be particularly useful for the rapid dissemination of late-breaking information.
An artificial intelligence (AI) system has been used to synthesize the voices, movements and expressions of the presenters. They are based on those of real Xinhua presenters.
This differs from the use of a 3D digital model of a human. It seems that the facial features of the photo type have been applied to a body template and animated.
& # 39; Mysterious Valley & # 39;
The presenter has struggled to look completely natural, said Michael Wooldridge of Oxford University.
He was somewhat stuck in the "mysterious valley" – a term used to describe robots and human-like avatars that seem subtly unrealistic.
"It's pretty hard to watch for more than a few minutes, it's very flat, very rhythmic, there's no rhythm or accent," Professor Wooldridge told the BBC.
He also pointed out that human information broadcasters have traditionally – in many cases – become trusted public figures.
"If you only look at the animation, you have completely lost the link with an anchor," he added.
It was a "good first effort", however said Noel Sharkey, professor emeritus of Artificial Intelligence and Robotics at the University of Sheffield.
"We will see this improve over time," he told the BBC. "The problem is that it could be very boring."
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