The Garden Island newspaper in Kauai has long struggled to hire reporters, often taking months to fill vacancies. Recently, the paper introduced two AI avatars, James and Rose, for its news broadcasts, created by the Israeli company Caledo. Although the technology aims to engage viewers by transforming pre-written articles into conversational broadcasts, the performance has raised concerns due to James's unblinking gaze and Rose's mispronunciation of words. This format is intended to provide smaller newspapers with the means to create broadcasts that attract younger audiences and facilitate embedded advertising. Despite gaining some views on Instagram, viewer reactions have been predominantly negative, with many locals expressing discomfort with AI reporters. While Caledo claims its AI won’t eliminate jobs but rather supplement them, skepticism remains regarding audience acceptance.

Concerns also arise from the potential loss of personal connections in local news. Experts note that the AI's performance could evoke an "uncanny valley effect, " where viewers struggle to relate to machine-generated faces. The introduction of AI in journalism poses questions about audience trust, especially in a time when local newsrooms are already facing challenges due to layoffs and high turnover among staff. The push towards technology rather than investing in human reporters is seen as troubling by some, particularly in communities of color where trust must be cultivated through personal interactions. Ultimately, many believe that rebuilding genuine connections within the community is essential for effective journalism.