AI avatars shield Venezuelan journalists from government repression

Journalists in Venezuela have adopted artificial intelligence (AI) avatars as a safeguard against increasing government repression. With President Nicolás Maduro strengthening his grip on the country’s leadership, conventional journalism work has become rather risky. 

Connectas, a Colombian journalism platform, has created an AI tool that lets Venezuelan journalists write without putting themselves in jail or persecution’s view. The Maduro government is gradually stifling the media scene, making traditional journalism a risky endeavor. The journalists are threatened, arrested, and, in some cases, even attacked when they investigate certain topics.

 “The persecution and the growing repression that our colleagues are suffering in Venezuela, where the uncertainty over the safety of doing their job … grows by the minute”. Connectas

Recent elections spark increased arrests and violence against journalists

To circumvent these risks, a coalition of about 20 Venezuelan news and fact-checking outlets has launched a unique initiative: AI avatars delivering news. This project, known as Operación Retuit (Operation Retweet), allows journalists to cover stories and provide information without risking their own lives.

These AI avatars, known as La Chama or Bestie and El Pana or Buddy, bring news to the audience on a daily basis and report on events happening in Venezuela. These avatars help disguise the actual reporters so that the journalists themselves might be kept safe while still being able to generate important news.

Venezuelan journalists are facing higher risks, especially after the recent highly disputed election in the country. The Maduro regime has intensified its actions against the opponents, activists, and the media, and the violence and arrests have escalated. In two weeks, 1,000 people were arrested, and at present, the figure has touched 1,400 people who had to be locked up in jail.

AI avatars reveal government accountability in election-related violence 

Nine journalists have been said to have been arrested and detained; among them is Paúl León, a 26-year-old sports reporter, who was charged with terrorism for covering the protest. 

The government has been quite aggressive, and this has resulted in most journalists practicing their trade under disguised identities or in disguise.  Even the social media platforms that were once used to share information have been limited; accounts have gone silent, and some platforms, such as X, have been banned. 

Operacion Retuit has been on the rise, and its AI avatars have become a valuable tool for Venezuelan journalists. During the first live broadcast, the two AI news anchors started out by indicating they were AI and proceeded to read the facts about the crackdown of the Maduro government. “But before we go on – in case you haven’t noticed – we want to let you know that we aren’t real,” the avatar stated.

The second episode of the project focused on the issue of state responsibility for election violence. While the official sources blamed the opposition groups for the killings, the AI newsreaders provided the facts that portrayed state security forces as the key killers.