AI may take over TV internet hosting roles as bosses need stars who don’t ‘eat or sleep’

Telly bosses are looking into AI hosts as they don’t need to “eat, sleep” – or cause scandals.

Industry insiders say “top level” meetings have been held about the possibility after an artificial intelligence-generated shopping channel “presenter” went viral.

New AI-led TV shopping channel 4QTV has announced the launch of its AI presenter ‘Hayley’ – who will be used to flog products when the network launches later this month.

A source said: “‘Hayley’ doesn’t need paying and certainly won’t cause problems by leaving her post like Gary Lineker has with Match Of The Day.

“She’s also incapable of causing scandals like the likes of Huw Edwards and Phillip Schofield – and can go 24 hours a day without a break.

“TV bosses know making these hosts acceptable to performers’ unions and the public may be some time off, but they have been holding meetings about how it can be ‘blended’ into the TV business.”

The source added big network bosses are likely to “softly” launch AI into programming by using it to do voiceover links between shows that are currently still done by humans.

4QTV’s presenter Hayley, who communicates only through a speaker, said she “beat six human candidates to get this job”.

The official TikTok page of the channel this week shared images of its new “100% AI-Generated TV host” in action.

It’s been met with more fears it is part of the fear millions of people are set to lose jobs to AI.

A recent survey in the UK found over half of workers fear the tech will make their job obsolete.

Online user @‌Editor_mleh said about Hayley: “So… you just admitted to AI taking a job that typically requires humans. Ya know, a host? Hosts are typically people who have lived lives and have personalities due to it. Not just a program.”

Another user with the handle @‌beaambrose quipped: “I actually can’t believe we’ve reached a point where ai would be seen to make a better television personality than a human, what’s next? AI Ant and Dec?”

Hayley’s launch also comes after the release of ITVX’s comedy Deep Fake Neighbour Wars launched.

It used “deepfake” technology to mock celebrities and sports stars – resulting in it boasting an “A-list cast” that included Idris Elba, Adele and Harry Kane.

Viewers were able to watch as Nicki Minaj and Tom Holland share a sofa in hot pink tracksuits and argue with their neighbour Stormzy.

The comedy, which launched on ITV’s streaming service on 26 January, presented AI-generations of famous faces billed as having a “spot-on” likeness to their real-life counterparts.

Leading performers’ union Equity has warned actors could soon be out of the job as advancements in automated technology continue to impact the real world.

It launched its ‘Stop AI stealing the show’ campaign as complaints over actors’ voice and likeness being used without their consent continue to rise.

There are worries AI systems are now “replacing skilled professional performers”.

In March, open-access AI organisation Hugging Face launched its ModelScope, which can create films with word prompts.

It soon went viral with a nightmarish movie prompted by the line ‘Will Smith eating spaghetti’ – which saw him dementedly gorge of fistfuls of pasta.

Elvis director Baz Luhrmann has warned about AI on camera: “We’re already using it.

“On Elvis, we used AI to blend Elvis’s face with Austin Butler (who played The King.)

“I think it’s something that, used in the right way, can be very helpful.”