Curio secures funding for Rio, an AI news anchor featured in their app

AI News Anchor Rio: A New Way to Stay Informed

In a world where AI is making its way into various industries, the newsroom is no exception. Outlets like Newsweek, Sports Illustrated, Gizmodo, VentureBeat, and CNET have all experimented with articles written by AI. While some journalists may frown upon this trend, there are startups that believe AI can enhance the news experience for consumers. One such startup is Rio, an “AI news anchor” designed to help readers connect with stories and topics they care about from trustworthy sources.

Rio, developed by the team behind AI-powered audio journalism startup Curio, was recently unveiled at the South by Southwest Festival in Austin. The app has already garnered funding from Khosla Ventures and Chris Anderson, the head of TED, who also backed Curio. Rio utilizes Curio’s AI technology to scan headlines from reputable papers and magazines like Bloomberg, The Wall Street Journal, and The Washington Post, curating daily news briefings that users can read or listen to.

Unlike traditional news aggregators, Rio aims to prevent users from falling into an echo chamber by providing news that expands their understanding of various topics. The app presents news in a Story-like interface with graphics and links to full articles, narrated by an AI voice. Users can also interact with Rio through an AI chatbot interface, asking about different topics of interest and even requesting audio episodes for further exploration.

With Rio currently in early access, interested users can join the waitlist at rionews.ai for a chance to experience this innovative news platform. As AI continues to shape the future of news consumption, Rio offers a unique approach to staying informed in a rapidly evolving media landscape.