Germany’s Bild, the leading newspaper in Europe, has unveiled plans to replace several editorial positions with artificial intelligence (AI), as communicated to its staff in an email.
In an effort to restore profitability, the tabloid is implementing a €100 million cost-cutting program that includes reorganizing its regional newspaper business, potentially resulting in hundreds of job redundancies.
Axel Springer SE, the largest media publisher in Europe and owner of Bild, stated in the email that some roles, including editors, print production staff, subeditors, proofreaders, and photo editors, will cease to exist as they currently do.
[inline_related_posts title=”Also Read” title_align=”left” style=”list” number=”3″ align=”none” ids=”” by=”categories” orderby=”rand” order=”DESC” hide_thumb=”no” thumb_right=”no” views=”no” date=”yes” grid_columns=”2″ post_type=”” tax=””]
This strategic move follows the earlier announcement by CEO Mathias Döpfner, declaring Bild’s transformation into a “purely digital media company.”
Döpfner emphasized the potential of AI tools like ChatGPT, suggesting they could enhance independent journalism or even replace it.
He predicted that AI would soon surpass human journalists in information aggregation, highlighting the importance of publishers creating exceptional original content, such as investigative journalism and original commentary, to thrive in the digital era.
While the exact number of jobs affected by the integration of AI remains unknown, Bild aims to minimize forced redundancies by reducing the number of regional editions from 18 to 12.
However, the publication is committed to upholding journalistic integrity, as concerns persist regarding the accuracy and reliability of AI-generated content.
Axel Springer SE is not alone in exploring AI adoption among news publishers. BuzzFeed, the Daily Mirror, and the Daily Express have also embraced AI for content enhancement.
AI tools like ChatGPT possess the ability to generate sophisticated text across various domains, but they may occasionally produce inaccurate or fabricated responses.
Instances of AI-generated content have raised concerns in the industry.
Publications such as Men’s Journal and tech website Cnet have utilized AI to generate articles, later reviewed for accuracy by human editors. However, limitations emerged, with over half of the articles requiring corrections.
In a regrettable incident, the publishers of German weekly magazine Die Aktuelle dismissed its editor and apologized to Michael Schumacher’s family after running an entirely AI-generated “interview” with the Formula One legend.
The family has initiated legal action against the magazine’s publishers, as Schumacher has not appeared in public since suffering a severe brain injury in 2013.
While Bild aims to minimize job losses and streamline its editorial payroll, concerns remain regarding the impact on employees.
Signed by four top managers, including editors-in-chief Marion Horn and Robert Schneider, the email hints at potential similar measures at Axel Springer SE’s flagship daily, Die Welt.
Axel Springer SE has previously undertaken significant personnel changes in an attempt to reverse declining financial performance and recover from scandals.
Bild’s former editor, Julian Reichelt, was fired amid allegations of covering up sexual misconduct and bullying.
CEO Mathias Döpfner faced criticism after leaked texts revealed attempts to use Bild to influence Germany’s last election by promoting personal views on climate change activism, Covid measures, and former Chancellor Angela Merkel.
The German Journalists’ Association (DJV) has voiced its disapproval of Springer’s plans, warning that job cuts at Bild could harm the company’s financial stability.
The association criticized the move as not only detrimental to employees but also economically unwise.
Bild’s embrace of AI, accompanied by cost-cutting measures, marks a significant step in its digital transformation.
However, challenges lie ahead as the publication navigates the delicate balance between AI-generated content and upholding its reputation for reliable reporting.
