Kolkata : The Communists, who ruled West Bengal for 34 long years, were initially apprehensive about the introduction of computers but later made a sharp turnaround and embraced new technologies. The CPM is now all set to use Artificial Intelligence (AI) as one of the tools to campaign in the current Lok Sabha Polls.
AI is being effectively used in CPM's social media handles since Monday - Holi. AI anchor 'Samata' has emerged as a presenter. A new face has been introduced on Bengal CPM's social media handles. Within 27 seconds of Samata's introduction, she has surprised one and all. CPM's AI anchor has said in her own words that she will be seen campaigning on CPM's Facebook page and YouTube channel for the upcoming Lok Sabha elections.
But a pertinent question as to how this innovation saw the light of the day for a political outfit that never banked on technology and opposed the introduction of the computers?
According to CPM insiders, the party's digital wing has been using the AI anchor Samata experimentally for more than six months. In general, they were trying to overcome some of its limitations in practical execution. In particular, it was seen that AI anchors are not as fluent in Bengali as they are in English. Basically, to overcome the hurdle, Samata has been made public on Monday by making some technical adjustments.
A member of the technical team, who did not want to be named, told ETV Bharat, "We used to get two weekly news from the CPM. But that was in Bengal. But outside Bengal, a large number of people want to know about the state and that's why a 'Focus on Bengal' is being introduced either in Hindi or English. We are looking to use AI anchors in this upcoming broadcast titled 'Focus on Bengal'."
But the technical team member also made it clear that when the question of using AI comes up, there is a fear of workforce reduction in the minds of common people. In this case, there is no scope for staff reduction.
ETV Bharat spoke to Shamik Lahiri, one of CPM's editorial board members, about AI anchor. Along with the party's state secretary Mohammad Salim, he is also in charge of this project in the digital team. "Our main goal in using artificial intelligence is to stick to reality. Not to spread fake news. We have seen BJP in the past in the national arena using artificial intelligence to distort information. Our aim is to not distort information. We are using this artificial intelligence to work for convenience. And that's why we have decided to use AI in elections this time around."
In a first of its kind in Bengal, Lahiri is both optimistic and cautious at the same time about the success of artificial intelligence. "Just as a beard can be cut with a blade, the throat of a person can also be slashed with a blade. In this case, we will use artificial intelligence for the progress of civilization. That is our main goal," a confident Lahiri said.
However, the innovation drew flak from opposition parties, who didn't like to spare this opportunity to hurl missiles at the Red bastion. Trinamool Congress leader and Rajya Sabha member Shantanu Sen taunted the left about AI. "This kind of talk does not suit the CPM. People who shut down computers, who stopped studying English till class VI, who called themselves a proletariat and smoked one beedi thrice to save money, make children laugh at this kind of talk. CPM has pushed Bengal backward in 34 years, so they are zero today. That Mamata Banerjee was there, it was possible to stage a turnaround into golden Bengal. Otherwise that would not have been possible," Sen said.
BJP leader Rahul Sinha said, "AI will do no good. No one used to look at their website earlier and will not look at it in future too. But CPM has pushed West Bengal behind by opposing technology. For this, they need to apologise to the people of Bengal first. Then do something else."
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