Ema sends an AI presenter to the charity gala

Two invitations, one evening

On Thursday Ema received two messages. The first was a cream-coloured envelope that smelled of lilies: an invitation to speak at the autumn charity gala for the animal shelter fund. The second was a text from her spa: “Your Thursday 7 p.m. is confirmed.” Both were at seven. Ema looked at the two messages for a long time, the way other people look at a chessboard.

“I cannot cancel the spa,” she told Nova, her cat. “The spa has a waiting list.” Nova, who speaks with an AI voice and has opinions, answered: “The shelter has a waiting list too. Of dogs.”

Today’s coat was silver fox — generated that morning, like every morning, made of nothing but pixels and good taste. Ema wrapped it around her shoulders and opened her laptop.

The most serious tool, naturally

Ema does not use tools that sound cheerful. She wanted the tool that large companies use for their training videos, and she found an AI presenter tool: you type a script, choose an AI presenter, and the presenter delivers it on video. “Finally,” said Ema, “an employee who will not interrupt me.”

She read the price page as carefully as a wine list. There is a free plan (Basic, €0: 500 credits a month (source, checked 2026-10-04)), but on it the videos carry an AI presenter tool watermark; downloading videos and removing the logo are listed from the Starter plan. Starter: €16 per month, billed yearly (Starter; €26 shown for monthly billing) (source, checked 2026-10-04). Ema paid for the year without blinking. “A watermark,” she said, “is a stain.”

Then she wrote the speech herself. That part no tool was going to do for her, and she would not have allowed it anyway. Three paragraphs: why the shelter matters, why fur belongs to the past, and why everyone in the room should open their wallet before dessert. She chose a presenter who looked suitably serious, pressed generate, and went to choose her bathrobe.

The gala

At seven the lights in the hall dimmed and a large screen came on. The host said it honestly: “Our speaker could not be here tonight. The words are hers; the presenter is AI.” A few guests laughed. Then they listened.

The presenter spoke calmly, without a single “um”. It said that the shelter had three old dogs nobody chose, that a warm coat no longer needs a dead animal, and that a donation is warmer still. At the end it said Ema’s favourite line: “My coat tonight cost zero lives.”

The guests were generous. At the back of the hall a big bearded man in work overalls, who looked out of place among the pearls, clapped the loudest. His name was Tomas, and the shelter was his.

What Nova said

Ema came home from the spa at ten, glowing. Nova was waiting on the sofa with the gala video open on the laptop. “You know,” said the cat, “the presenter was very good.” “Of course,” said Ema. “I chose it.” “It was better than you,” said Nova. Ema pretended not to hear. She never admits anything; it is part of her charm.

But the next morning she opened an AI presenter tool again and typed a second script: a thank-you to the donors, with each name read out. It took her less time than choosing the day’s coat. (Chinchilla. Generated. Zero lives.)

The lesson Ema will never say out loud: the AI did not replace her words. It carried them into a room she could not walk into that night.

This coat cost zero lives. Made with AI on the Kailiniai.com platform.

What should Ema try tomorrow?

Send your idea to [email protected] — the best ideas become the next episodes.

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