Abstract
Female artificial intelligence (AI) synthetic news presenters are
increasingly being utilized in Chinese newsrooms. This article
explores how the bodily construction of these AI presenters
intersects with gender, ideology, and institutional authority on news
programs. By examining specialized media coverages (n = 38)
featuring female AI news presenters from various Chinese news
agencies, the study demonstrates how these presenters are
biometrically modeled on human prototypes, standardized to reflect
professional performance norms, and positioned as efficient
alternatives to compete with human female presenters.
Furthermore, our findings revealed that female AI presenters not
only symbolize technological advancements but also reinforce
traditional gender roles and expectations, while simultaneously
objectifying and instrumentalizing female bodies in newsrooms by
framing them as programmable, customizable, and controllable
entities. Thus, this paper argues that female AI presenters embody a
constrained form of digitalized embodiment, reflecting manipulative
professional practices and identity construction. Therefore, we raise
critical concerns about the precarity of gendered labor within the
evolving contexts of automated news production.
increasingly being utilized in Chinese newsrooms. This article
explores how the bodily construction of these AI presenters
intersects with gender, ideology, and institutional authority on news
programs. By examining specialized media coverages (n = 38)
featuring female AI news presenters from various Chinese news
agencies, the study demonstrates how these presenters are
biometrically modeled on human prototypes, standardized to reflect
professional performance norms, and positioned as efficient
alternatives to compete with human female presenters.
Furthermore, our findings revealed that female AI presenters not
only symbolize technological advancements but also reinforce
traditional gender roles and expectations, while simultaneously
objectifying and instrumentalizing female bodies in newsrooms by
framing them as programmable, customizable, and controllable
entities. Thus, this paper argues that female AI presenters embody a
constrained form of digitalized embodiment, reflecting manipulative
professional practices and identity construction. Therefore, we raise
critical concerns about the precarity of gendered labor within the
evolving contexts of automated news production.
| Original language | English |
|---|---|
| Journal | Journalism Studies |
| DOIs | |
| Publication status | Published - 11 Nov 2025 |