A Kuwaiti media outlet has unveiled a virtual news presenter generated using artificial intelligence, with plans for it to read online bulletins. “Fedha” appeared on the Twitter account of the Kuwait News website on Saturday as an image of a woman, hair uncovered, wearing a black jacket and white T-shirt. “I’m Fedha, the first presenter in Kuwait who works with artificial intelligence at Kuwait News. What kind of news do you prefer? Let’s hear your opinions,” she said in Arabic. The site is affiliated with the Kuwait Times, founded in 1961 as the Gulf region’s first English-language daily. Abdullah Boftain, deputy editor in chief for both outlets, said it was a test of AI’s potential to offer “new and innovative content”. In future Fedha could adopt the Kuwaiti accent and present news bulletins on the site’s Twitter account, which has 1.2 million followers, he said. “Fedha is a popular, old Kuwaiti name that refers to silver … We always imagine robots to be silver and metallic in colour, so we combined the two,” Boftain said. The presenter’s blond hair and light-coloured eyes reflected the oil-rich country’s diverse population of Kuwaitis and expatriates, Boftain said. “Fedha represents everyone.” Its initial 13-second video generated a flood of reactions on social media, including from journalists. The rapid rise of AI globally has raised the promise of benefits in areas such as health care, but also fears over its potential to spread disinformation, and the threat to jobs and artistic integrity. Kuwait ranked 158 out of 180 countries and territories in the Reporters Without Borders 2022 Press Freedom Index.