"I Don't Exist": British News Channel Anchor Reveals She Is AI-Generated

Britain's Channel 4 has aired a documentary fronted by an Artificial Intelligence-generated news anchor. The programme, “Will AI Take My Job?”, featured virtual presenter Aisha Gaban, created using artificial intelligence to explore the rise of machines in human workplaces.

Throughout the hour-long broadcast on Monday, viewers watched Gaban appear to report from various locations, narrating how automation and AI are transforming the global workforce. In a twist at the end, though, the “presenter” revealed that she was not real.

“AI is going to touch everybody's lives in the next few years. And for some, it will take their jobs. Call centre workers? Customer service agents? Maybe even TV presenters like me. Because I'm not real. In a British TV first, I'm an AI presenter,” the anchor said. “Some of you might have guessed: I don't exist, I wasn't on location reporting this story. My image and voice were generated using AI.”

Did you notice anything different?

This is Britain's first-ever AI TV presenter in a documentary. Viewers were kept in the dark until the very end. It's part of a stunt aiming to show just how convincing AI has become, and how quickly it's improving. pic.twitter.com/APfH4ge3U6

— Channel 4 Dispatches (@C4Dispatches) October 20, 2025

The virtual anchor was developed by AI fashion brand Seraphinne Vallora for Kalel Productions, using prompts to replicate realistic expressions, gestures and tone.

Louisa Compton, Channel 4's head of news and current affairs, said the network had no plans to replace human journalists. “The use of an AI presenter is not something we will be making a habit of at Channel 4 — instead our focus in news and current affairs is on premium, fact checked, duly impartial and trusted journalism — something AI is not capable of doing,” Compton told Variety.

She told Deadline it was “quite scary” how convincingly human Gaban seemed but she had her limitations. Producers couldn't make her sit and interview people, so she only appeared speaking directly to the camera. Her lines were written by the production team.

According to Channel 4, the programme followed its editorial standards for the ethical use of AI, and the ending was created to make viewers think about trust, authenticity, and what AI-generated content means for the media.

The film also presented results from a Channel 4 survey of 1,000 UK business leaders. It found that 76 per cent have already adopted AI for tasks once handled by humans, while 66 per cent said they were “excited” about the technology's potential. About 41 per cent reported that AI adoption had already reduced recruitment, and nearly half expected further job cuts within five years.

The programme follows recent controversy surrounding ‘Tilly Norwood,' an AI-generated “actress” that drew criticism from actors, agencies and Hollywood unions.