The article discusses the termination of two AI bots, James and Rose, which were introduced as news broadcasters at The Garden Island newspaper in Hawaii. Despite being the first program of its kind in the U.S., the initiative was short-lived, lasting only two months, partly due to a negative public response. Viewers found the bots’ delivery and interactions off-putting, failing to engage with emotions and often mispronouncing words. The project was intended to alleviate staffing issues in local journalism but ultimately drew criticism for diverting resources from human reporters. Additionally, advertising woes further complicated the program's viability. Overall, the experiment highlighted the challenges of integrating AI into the realm of local news reporting.

Key Points:

• James and Rose were AI news bots at The Garden Island, terminated after two months.
• The program was the first AI broadcasting initiative in the U.S., by Israeli firm Caledo.
• Viewers found the bots' delivery off-putting, with stilted conversations and mispronounced names.
• The project faced backlash, leading to negative public sentiment.
• The intent was to address staffing shortages but diverted resources from human reporters.
• Advertising efforts were unsuccessful, as no ads appeared in the broadcasts.
• Minor improvements were made to the AI's presentation, but they were insufficient for success.
  Link to Article