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Radio Station Sacks Journalists Replaces Them with AI, Igniting Debate on Future of Media

 Radio Station Sacks Journalists Replaces Them with AI, Igniting Debate on Future of Media




A Polish radio station, OFF Radio Krakow, recently made waves by replacing human journalists with AI-generated presenters in a move it describes as an “experiment” to explore the impact of artificial intelligence on media. Based in Krakow, the station relaunched with virtual hosts, hoping to attract a younger audience by covering cultural, artistic, and social topics, including issues facing the LGBTQ+ community.

OFF Radio Krakow’s director, Marcin Pulit, defended the decision as a necessary step to keep the station relevant. “Is artificial intelligence more of an opportunity or a threat to media, radio, and journalism?” he wrote, describing the change as a way to find answers to this question. However, the decision has drawn backlash, especially from former employees and concerned listeners.

Journalist Mateusz Demski, who previously hosted a show on the station, responded by publishing an open letter that condemned the replacement of staff with AI. He argued that this move set a “dangerous precedent” that could undermine jobs in media and sparked a petition, quickly signed by over 15,000 people, calling for the station to reconsider. Demski was among a dozen journalists let go in August, and he expressed disappointment given the station’s public funding. Pulit countered that the layoffs were driven by the station's declining listenership, not AI adoption.

The decision caught the attention of Poland’s Minister of Digital Affairs, Krzysztof Gawkowski, who voiced concern over the “unchecked rise of AI” in media. “Although I support AI development, I believe certain boundaries are being crossed more and more,” Gawkowski stated on X (formerly Twitter), emphasizing that “the widespread use of AI must be done for people, not against them.”

Controversy intensified when the station aired an “interview” with an AI-generated host simulating the voice of the late poet and Nobel laureate Wisława Szymborska. The segment received mixed reactions, though Michał Rusinek, president of the Wisława Szymborska Foundation, noted that he had granted permission and that Szymborska likely would have appreciated the humorous gesture.

This shift at OFF Radio Krakow has spotlighted the ethical and societal questions surrounding automation in creative fields, especially as audiences and industry insiders alike reflect on AI's role in the future of media.

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