At the Centre for Innovation and Technology (CITE), artificial intelligence has become one of the tools helping journalists produce content more efficiently while creating new ways to engage audiences.

In May 2023, CITE introduced Alice, an AI-generated news presenter meant to deliver news content to CITE’s audiences. Although Alice has a human-like appearance, she is not a real person.The name “Alice” was chosen after CITE asked audiences on social media to suggest names for the new presenter. From the responses received, the name Alice (a combination of (AI and CITE) was selected and adopted for the project.
The first video produced using Alice was on 7 May 2023, which was the Brief Bulletin, a programme that summarised stories from CITE, regional news and international developments.
The first version of Alice was very simple and basic. Her appearance relied on a still image combined with a looped video, and the lip movements did not match the audio. The introduction of an AI newsreader also generated mixed reactions from audiences, many of whom were unfamiliar with the concept of artificial intelligence presenting news. Questions were raised about the technology, particularly because the presenter spoke with an accent and flat tone different from what CITE’s audiences were used to.

As the newsroom became more familiar with the technology, Alice was introduced to additional programmes; Meet your Candidate and Rate your Councillor.
Rate Your Councillor was a platform that allowed residents to share their views on whether elected councillors were delivering on promises made during election campaigns. The programme was initially presented by a journalist, but CITE later shifted presentation duties to Alice. This allowed journalists to focus more of their time on reporting, verification and content gathering while the AI presenter handled routine presentation tasks.

The introduction of Alice marked the beginning of an ongoing process of experimentation and improvement.
Through continuous testing and refinement, CITE developed Alice 2.0, a more advanced version of the presenter. Unlike the original version, Alice 2.0 features improved facial movements and gestures that are synchronised with speech. Lip movements are also aligned with the audio, creating a more natural viewing experience.
These improvements have enabled CITE to produce AI-presented content that better meets audience expectations while maintaining newsroom standards.

The use of AI has allowed CITE to expand beyond a single virtual presenter. The newsroom has introduced additional avatars designed to serve different content needs and audience interests.
Rather than replacing journalists, these tools have been used to support newsroom operations, create new content formats and free up time for reporting and investigative work.

One of CITE’s most notable projects has been the creation of Luzibo, an AI-generated version of one of the organisation’s journalists .The idea behind Luzibo was to have a digital version of a familiar journalist that audiences would connect with as well as trust. Luzibo has been used to produce explainer videos on climate change and local governance issues.
As a result of this initiative, CITE prioritises obtaining consent for voice and likeness cloning, implementing clear AI policies, and securing access to systems and data.

CITE later introduced Vusi, an AI presenter created primarily to deliver weather forecasts and keep citizens informed about changing conditions across Zimbabwe. Beyond weather updates, Vusi was also developed to present explainers on local governance, climate change and other social issues affecting communities. The goal was to provide audiences with accessible information on topics that directly impact their daily lives.

CITE’s experience with AI has also led to collaborations with external organisations.
One example is its partnership with the City of Bulawayo, where an AI presenter ; Siyaphambili has been used to repackage content from the municipality’s
Masiye Weekly
newsletter, making key developments and council updates more accessible to audiences.
CITE has also worked with Faith to Action, a Christian organisation, to develop three AI avatars for awareness campaigns focusing on teenage pregnancies and child marriages. The campaigns were implemented in Kenya and Togo, demonstrating how AI-generated presenters can be adapted for public interest and development communication projects across different countries.