Sexual Objectification Of AI?— Major Korean Broadcaster Stirs Up Heated Debate

A screenshot circulating from a supposed SBS broadcast has stirred up a fiery conversation around AI-generated replacements of human employees.

In the past week, social media has been abuzz with speculations that SBS, one of the three major national broadcasters in Korea, had replaced its human weather forecasters with an AI-generated model, supposedly named Kim Sia. These speculations were based on multiple screenshots of the weather program of the network, where the AI model was seen presenting the forecast, standing in front of a weather map.

As more people became aware of the situation, many netizens expressed concerns regarding AI-generated human figures replacing human beings in the workforce. Some, however, were also ticked off by the way the AI model was dressed in the photos. While weather forecasters are usually in formal attire, the model’s body-hugging short dress raised eyebrows, making people question whether this new technology would push for more objectification.

• “Why don’t they just put her in a bikini next?’
• “Seriously, the outfit is hilarious. Who wears something like that to work?”
• “It’s an AI—was it really necessary to dress it like that? If they were going to do this, they might as well have just had Pororo come out and explain things.”
• “But seriously, this shows how they view female weathercasters.”
• “That is truly low-class.”

However, on July 27 (KST), reports clarified that these pictures were taken from a YouTube channel operated by K-Weather, a weather and air quality service provider, and not actually from any weather report aired by SBS. While people were relieved by the realization that the AI-replacement craze had not found its way to traditional broadcasters as of yet, they are also left wondering if it is just a matter of time.