A new AI chatbot, developed in Southampton, is set to teach people about Chinese New Year in a UK first. 

"Lee", the first AI chatbot for Chinese New Year celebrations in the country, was developed by the Chinese Association of Southampton and AI innovator Enigmatica. 

The new technology is said to be a "significant step forward" in cultural education and is designed to be a comprehensive guide to the festival. 

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It comes as the association is inviting everyone to celebrate the New Year on February 10 which will include dragon and lion dances, starting at Guildhall Square and continuing into West Quay at 12pm.

Michael Ng of the Chinese Association of Southampton said the new AI guide is "exceptionally helpful and accurate, not only for details about the Chinese New Year but also for various other Chinese festivals.

"Remarkably, it can provide answers in Chinese, and the accuracy surpasses that of ChatGPT 3.5.

"This AI app is a valuable resource for everyone interested in understanding Chinese culture."