SET-listed media and content provider Mono Next (Mono) plans to introduce artificial intelligence (AI)-generated anchors by April for breaking news on its Mono 29 digital TV channel and online platform on a trial basis.
The company will evaluate feedback generated by the AI-generated anchors during this year before making a decision on what it will do next, said chief executive Patompong Sirachairat, adding that the move is not aimed at reducing the number of existing human anchors.
"We aim to maximise our anchors' capability through AI-generated voices based on the original voices of Mono 29 news anchors, rather than aiming to reduce the anchor team."
Mr Patompong said the characters of the AI-generated anchors would be based on two of Mono's human anchors.
Mr Patompong said the characters of the AI-generated anchors would be based on two of Mono's human anchors.
The AI anchors will present news for only the one-minute breaking news segments of Mono 29 channel and its online platform on Facebook and YouTube.
Mono developed the AI-generated news anchors with two local AI companies at a cost of less than one million baht, he added.
This will promote a win-win model for Mono 29 channel and its AI partners and the latter can refer to the launch as their use case, Mr Patompong said.
According to Mono's filing to the Stock Exchange of Thailand last month, the company initiated the development of AI to improve its internal processes as well as creativity.
It added that in early 2024, the company restructured its organisation by reducing the number of employees in all departments to an appropriate size, downsizing non-profitable units, eliminating redundant functional units and outsourcing to specialised companies.
As a result, employee expenses decreased by around 11 million baht per month, representing a 33% reduction compared with prior to the restructuring.
Early this year, the company continued to emphasise its exclusive content production business via its own key media channels, including its Monomax video streaming business, Mono 29 channel, international licensing sales and cost controls.
Mono reported a net loss of 255 million baht in 2023, down 468% from a profit of 69.3 million baht in 2022.
However, last year the company witnessed growth in its Monomax streaming business with a promising trend, according to the company.
Monomax has begun using AI to analyse consumer behaviour and provide personalised recommendations for content interest.
