Ukraine's Ministry of Foreign Affairs is pioneering AI integration to enhance media responsiveness

Ukraine has taken an unprecedented step in modern diplomacy by introducing an AI-generated digital figure to communicate official consular information. For the first time, a Ministry of Foreign Affairs has deployed an artificial intelligence–based persona to speak on its behalf, marking a significant shift in how governments may engage with the public and the media in the future.

The digital representative, named Victoria Shi, serves as the official voice of Ukraine’s consular services. While her appearance is modeled on a real individual—Ukrainian singer and influencer Rosalie Nombre—Victoria Shi exists solely as a digital entity. Rosalie volunteered to participate in the initiative without compensation, allowing the project team to record and digitize her likeness. Importantly, the Ministry has been explicit that the real person and the AI-generated representative are entirely separate identities. Only the digital version is authorized to deliver official statements.

Victoria Shi was created with a clear and focused mandate: to provide accurate, timely and verified consular information to the public and to journalists. Her role includes sharing updates on how Ukrainian consuls protect the rights and interests of citizens abroad, addressing emergency situations, and communicating developments related to consular services. In her introductory message, she explains that her name reflects Ukraine’s central objective—victory—while her surname represents the artificial intelligence that brought her into existence.

All official statements delivered by the digital representative are published through the Ministry of Foreign Affairs’ verified channels, including its website and social media platforms, and are distributed to journalists via the MFA press office. This controlled distribution ensures that her communications remain consistent, authoritative and traceable to official sources.

According to Ukraine’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, the decision to introduce an AI-generated consular representative is fundamentally about efficiency. By delegating routine informational communication to a digital entity, human diplomats can redirect their time and expertise toward higher-impact tasks that directly support Ukrainian citizens. In a wartime context, the ability to streamline workflows and reduce operational friction is not a luxury—it is a necessity.

The Minister has also framed this initiative as part of a broader technological transformation within the Ministry. Artificial intelligence, he noted, is being adopted not as an experiment or novelty, but as a strategic tool to accelerate decision-making and maintain an edge in an environment where speed and clarity are critical. In his view, diplomacy has traditionally been one of the most conservative domains of government, often slow to adopt new technologies.

Ukraine is deliberately breaking from that pattern.

The creation of Victoria Shi represents just one element of a wider effort to embed advanced AI-driven solutions across the Ministry’s operations. By doing so, Ukrainian diplomacy is positioning itself at the forefront of technological innovation—making a leap that few, if any, foreign ministries have attempted before.

Given the risks associated with misinformation and deepfakes, the Ministry has also implemented multiple safeguards to protect the integrity of the digital representative. Each official video featuring Victoria Shi includes a QR code that links directly to a corresponding text statement hosted on the Ministry’s official website. Any video lacking this verification mechanism, or redirecting viewers elsewhere, should be treated as inauthentic.

It is also worth noting that the AI consular representative does not replace the Ministry’s human spokesperson. Following the conclusion of the previous spokesperson’s term, a formal selection process has already been completed, and the newly appointed individual is currently undergoing the required procedures before assuming the role.

The project was developed by the NGO The Game Changers, with technical support from Nazovni Tech. This collaboration builds on previous successful initiatives, including a virtual reality experience designed to immerse international audiences in the realities of the war in Ukraine and strengthen global support through immersive storytelling.

Through initiatives like this, Ukraine continues to demonstrate how emerging technologies can be leveraged not only for efficiency, but also for resilience, transparency and strategic communication in times of crisis.