German Media Giant Says AI Is Liberating Journalists for More Core Reporting

According to Chief Information Officer Samir Fadlallah, German media giant Axel Springer is embracing artificial intelligence (AI) as a means to liberate journalists and enhance core reporting.

As reported by Reuters, Fadlallah made the comments at a media conference in Berlin, stating that AI allows journalists to delegate mundane tasks to AI systems, enabling them to focus more on their primary responsibilities.

His statements come in the wake of an internal email from Axel Springer, which warned employees of potential job losses due to the implementation of AI technology.

Springer's 'Digital Only' Strategy

The publisher outlined its plans for a "digital only" strategy for its popular Bild tabloid, set to be fully implemented by early 2024.

While the company did not specify the number of jobs at risk, sources revealed that a three-digit figure of employees would likely be affected.

Despite this, Fadlallah reassured that Axel Springer would tackle these challenges constructively.

Plans to Leverage Generative AI

Fadlallah emphasized AI's positive aspects, particularly in providing readers with more personalized and engaging content.

He highlighted the potential of Generative AI to create individually tailored products and novel opportunities for user interaction.

However, he acknowledged the importance of addressing regulatory issues, such as content usage by large language models, data protection, and fair remuneration for the media organization.

Reuters reports that Axel Springer aims to boost earnings at its flagship publications, Bild and Welt, by $109.14 million by 2025 through increased revenues and cost savings.

The company also plans to transition to a fully digital model and eventually cease the production of print edition newspapers.

Axel Springer operates globally, with a presence in over 40 countries and more than 18,000 employees. It owns various media entities, including Politico, Insider, StepStone, and AVIV.

Impact of AI on Journalism

In March, The Guardian reported that Axel Springer's CEO, Mathias Doepfner, underscored the impact of AI on journalism, stating that it could surpass traditional reporting or replace it altogether.

Doepfner referred to AI tools like ChatGPT, which he believes are revolutionizing information aggregation and could outperform human journalists.

However, he emphasized that investigative journalism, original commentary, and uncovering the true motives behind events would remain the domain of human journalists.

More News Sites Embracing AI

Axel Springer is not the only media organization exploring the integration of AI into content creation.

BuzzFeed and other publishers have also shown interest in leveraging AI technologies to enhance their offerings.

While AI presents opportunities for journalism, concerns about accuracy and authenticity persist. Experts have raised questions about ChatGPT fabricating references and quoting from non-existent sources.

Similarly, the use of AI in journalism has faced scrutiny, with reports of tech website CNET utilizing AI tools to generate articles that required subsequent human editing for accuracy.

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