For the first time in history, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine has created a digital person using artificial intelligence (AI) technologies, officially commenting on consular information for the media, the press service of the ministry has reported.

"Representative of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs for Consular Affairs, Viktoria Shi, was created on the basis of a real person – the Ukrainian singer and influencer Rosalie Nombre, who agreed pro bono to participate in the project of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and act as a prototype for the representative. The project team filmed and digitized it. It is important to note that the consular representative and her real prototype are two different persons, and only digital person Shi makes official comments on behalf of the consular service of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs," the message says.

AI has already released a welcome video message on the YouTube channel of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine.

"My first name symbolizes our main goal – the victory of Ukraine, and my last name is the artificial intelligence that created me. My work is to provide the public with timely and verified information from the Consular Department of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine. I am to inform journalists about the work of consuls to protect the rights and interests of Ukrainian citizens abroad, responding to incidents or emergencies, and other news," the address says.

Shi's comments will appear on the official resources of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine, the website and pages on social networks, and will also be transmitted to journalists by the press service of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

"Using an artificial intelligence–generated digital face for consular commenting is, first of all, saving the Foreign Ministry's time and resources. Real diplomats will be able to be more effective and focus on other tasks of helping citizens," said Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba.

The minister also stressed that the active use of artificial intelligence technologies in the work of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs is not a whim, but a wartime requirement. After all, in order to achieve the results necessary for the country, it is necessary to accelerate all processes and be one step ahead.

"The creation of a digital consular representative is part of a broader strategy for the systematic introduction of advanced technologies using artificial intelligence in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine. Diplomacy, not only in Ukraine, but also around the world, has always been a conservative field, the last to introduce innovations. We're changing that. Ukrainian diplomacy is now strengthening its capabilities and making a technological leap that has not yet been made by any diplomatic service in the world," the minister added.

It is noted that the Ministry of Foreign Affairs has also provided several levels of protection for Shi from digital forgery. A QR code is placed on each original video of the consular representative, which leads to a text version of the same comment on the official page of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. In the absence of such a QR code or a link to any other website, the video is not considered reliable.

In addition, the consular representative is not a substitute for the representative of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine. After the termination of Oleh Nikolenko's term in office, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs has already held a competition to fill this vacancy. Its winner has already been determined and is undergoing the necessary special verification procedures.

The project of the consular AI representative of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine was implemented by the team of NGO The Game Changers with the assistance of NGO Nazovni Tech.