JERUSALEM: When renowned Israeli TV journalist Moshe Nussbaum lost his ability to speak clearly due to ALS, he thought his career might be over. However, with the help of artificial-intelligence software that recreates his iconic gravelly voice, Nussbaum known to generations of viewers simply as “Nussi” is making a comeback.
Nussbaum, 71, was diagnosed two years ago with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), also known as Lou Gehrig’s disease, a progressive condition that attacks nerve cells controlling muscles throughout the body.
At the time, he vowed to Channel 12 News viewers that he would continue working as long as he was physically able. But as time passed, it became increasingly difficult.
It was a devastating blow for the leading reporter, who had spent more than 40 years covering many of Israel’s most important stories. Nussbaum had reported from the scenes of suicide bombings, the front lines of wars in Gaza and Lebanon, and covered high-profile scandals and court cases in Israel’s parliament.
After Hamas' October 7, 2023, attack, which triggered the war in Gaza, Nussbaum was unable to report from the field. It was the first war of his career that he had ever missed. Despite his difficulties with speaking and moving, he launched a segment interviewing injured soldiers in Israeli hospitals. His questions were slow and halting, but he continued for the first half of the war. However, as it became harder to be understood, his interviews became less frequent.
On Monday, Channel 12 announced that Nussbaum would return to the air in the coming weeks, with the help of AI.
“It took me a few moments to absorb it and understand that it is me speaking now,” Nussbaum told The Associated Press via text message. “Slowly, I’m understanding the incredible meaning of this device for everyone with disabilities, including me.”
Nussbaum will write his stories, and an AI programme trained on his voice will allow him to deliver them. He will be filmed as if presenting, with his lips “technologically adjusted” to match the words.
Unlike traditional text-to-speech technology, which sounds robotic, the AI software mimics Nussbaum’s intonations and phrasing by using recordings from his lengthy career in TV and radio.
Nussbaum is excited by the possibilities of the technology but also concerned about its potential misuse to spread fake news. In its current form, the technology doesn’t work for live broadcasts, so Nussbaum will focus on commentary and analysis on crime and national security, areas of expertise from his decades of reporting.
Ahead of the broadcasts, Channel 12 released a preview featuring snippets of Nussbaum speaking naturally garbled and difficult to understand followed by the new “Nussi AI,” which sounds strikingly like the original Nussbaum, speaking quickly and emphatically.
“Honestly, this is my first time sitting here in the studio after more than a year,” AI Nussbaum says in the preview. “It feels a bit strange, and mostly, it tugs my heart.”
AI-powered voice cloning has rapidly advanced in recent years. Experts warn that the technology could enable phone scams, disrupt elections, and violate the dignity of individuals who did not consent to having their voices recreated. However, it also holds great promise for people who have lost their ability to speak clearly. Similar AI programmes have enabled a U.S. congresswoman with Parkinson’s disease to deliver a speech and helped a woman who lost her voice due to a tumour.
Channel 12 declined to disclose which AI programme it is using.
Nussbaum had feared that ALS would rob him of the career he loved. In an interview with Channel 12, he recalled telling his managers, “Don’t feel like you’re pitying me, doing me a favour. The day you come to the conclusion that this is it tell me. I’ll know how to accept it without a problem.”
He now describes his new AI-enabled persona as a “magic trick” that enabled his return and believes it will help raise awareness in Israel about how people with disabilities, particularly progressive ones, can continue to work.
“The fact that Channel 12 and my news managers are allowing me to reinvent myself anew is one of the most important medicines I can get in my fight against this disease,” he said.