Cloning the voices of news anchors is no longer science fiction in Sri Lanka it’s already happening. Broadcasters are using AI-powered voice agents to present bulletins, and digital avatars are on the horizon. Soon, newscasts may be delivered by presenters who don’t exist, cutting costs but also reshaping what audiences expect from journalism.

This is not just another tech upgrade. It signals a deep transformation in how news is created and consumed. And it comes at a time when Sri Lanka’s media industry is already struggling to survive facing collapsing advertising revenues, shrinking audiences, and an unhealthy dependence on foreign-owned digital platforms.

Sri Lankan media was weakened long before AI arrived. Newspapers never fully recovered from the financial crisis five years ago. Now, broadcasters are facing the same storm. Radio stations fight to stay alive, and television channels are losing their once-secure advertising base.

Just three years ago, digital platforms claimed 15% of ad spending. Today, they swallow almost 70%. Television and radio must compete for the little that’s left. For media built on traditional revenue models, this isn’t just a challenge it’s a threat to their very survival.

AI has entered this fragile landscape as both a threat and an opportunity. Globally, algorithms now collect data, analyze information, and even write basic news stories. In Sri Lanka, they already influence how audiences consume breaking news online.

But this raises difficult questions: What is journalism in the AI era? Is it about being the fastest to report a story? Or about providing depth and credibility in a digital world flooded with half-verified clips and recycled headlines?

The truth is, the race to “break” the news is no longer enough. Within minutes of a major event, dozens of YouTube channels and Facebook pages push out the same footage. What audiences crave is not speed, but trust, context, and explanation.

AI in the Newsroom: Help or Hindrance?

There’s no denying AI brings advantages. For small and underfunded Sri Lankan newsrooms, AI tools can fact-check, analyze big datasets, translate across languages, and generate quick reports. These efficiencies free up human journalists to do deeper work.

Yet the risks are just as real. Job security is already fragile, and AI threatens not just back-office roles but even the most visible faces of the industry. AI voice cloning has already mimicked famous Sri Lankan announcers. Soon, digital “ghost anchors” may take their place presenters who never get tired, never demand a salary, and never make a mistake.

But machines still fall short where it matters most. They cannot grasp cultural nuance, sense political undercurrents, or build audience trust. AI output is shaped by global data and biases that often fail to reflect Sri Lanka’s realities.

The real value of AI lies not in replacing journalists, but in supporting them. It can handle repetitive tasks like transcription or generating quick updates, leaving human reporters free to investigate corruption, tell meaningful stories, and bring cultural depth to their work.

The choice for Sri Lankan journalists is clear: see AI as a rival, or use it as a partner. The future depends on striking a balance between efficiency and ethics, between speed and trust.

The Misinformation Problem

Alongside opportunity comes danger. AI has made misinformation easier to create and harder to detect. In recent months, AI-generated images and videos have circulated widely in Sri Lanka, blurring the line between fact and fabrication.

In this environment, journalists play a more important role than ever as stewards of truth. While AI can help flag manipulated content, only human judgment and editorial responsibility can safeguard credibility.

For Sri Lankan journalism to survive and thrive it must evolve. Some key steps include:

• Use AI as a tool, not a replacement. Automation should assist, not replace, human creativity and judgment.
• Invest in local platforms. Reliance on foreign-owned digital giants is unsustainable. Homegrown solutions must grow.
• Build trust through authenticity. In a fragmented landscape, audiences follow real, trustworthy human voices.
• Experiment and adapt. AI will keep advancing, and journalists must keep learning without abandoning ethics.

The future of Sri Lankan journalism is not about humans versus machines. It’s about partnership using AI to extend human capacity, while holding fast to the values that make journalism matter: truth, accountability, and trust.

Those who resist change risk being left behind. But those who embrace AI wisely, while keeping the human heart of storytelling alive, will shape the next chapter of Sri Lanka’s media story.