German newspaper giant denies reports of replacing editors with AI

Disclaimer: This nonfiction has been updated pursuing a remark from a Bild Group spokesperson regarding the crushed for the occupation cuts and the relation of AI.

German tabloid institution Bild has denied reports it is laying disconnected parts of its editorial squad and replacing them with artificial quality and “automated processes.” 

A June 21 report from The Guardian, on with galore different media outlets claimed that Bild's genitor publishing steadfast Axel Springer SE was preparing to laic disconnected unit and regenerate them with AI, citing an email purportedly sent to staff.

However, Bild Group's manager of communications, Christian Senft told Cointelegraph the "reports are false" and that "with our existent measures, we person nary volition of replacing journalism with AI."

Instead, Senft said the announcement was regarding a restructuring programme for determination paper editions, which involves reducing from 18 determination editions to 12 by the extremity of the year, and the closing of 10 retired of 15 determination offices, with galore functions moving centrally to Berlin.

"Therefore, these tasks specified arsenic secretariats and photograph accumulation are nary longer indispensable successful the regions," helium said, reiterating that the associated occupation reductions person thing to bash with AI. 

The paper would “unfortunately beryllium parting ways with colleagues who person tasks that successful the integer satellite are performed by AI and/or automated processes”, its owner, Europe’s largest media publisher, Axel Springer SE, said successful an email to staff. It said the roles of “editors,

— Hakon Redder (@HakonRedder) June 20, 2023

Senft confirmed that the moves volition impact employees successful the "low three-digit number." He besides clarified that the announcement states that the institution volition "increasingly usage AI to enactment journalistic work."

"To this end, we are approaching the taxable with an unfastened caput and presently person galore initiatives with which we are exploring areas of exertion for AI for our journalistic brands, some successful the accumulation processes of the editorial offices and successful narration to the scholar experience," helium added.

"The usage of AI creates much clip and abstraction for journalistic creativity for editors and reporters. Wherever AI supports, a writer ever has to cheque and double-check the effect astatine Axel Springer."

The regular tabloid was founded successful June 1952. In the 1980s, Bild reportedly sold much than 5 cardinal copies per day. In 2010, Bild’s circulation fell to 3.55 million, according to Mondo Times. As of 2022, the people paper lone had a circulation of conscionable implicit 1 million, per Media Impact.

Related: AI is coming for your job: What industries volition beryllium affected?

The accelerated improvement of AI has already sparked many concerns implicit occupation losses successful the future.

In May, IBM CEO Arvind Krishna told Bloomberg that 7,800 jobs astatine the steadfast could beryllium replaced by AI and automation implicit the adjacent 5 years, representing astir 30% of its workforce.

— Brian Solis (@briansolis) May 2, 2023

In a June 14 report, absorption consulting steadfast McKinsey & Co. predicted that generative AI whitethorn beryllium capable to afloat automate arsenic overmuch arsenic 50% of each enactment enactment conducted successful workplaces today, including tasks related to decision-making, management, and interfacing with stakeholders.

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Update (June 21, 6:39am  UTC): This nonfiction has been updated to see accusation fixed by a Bild Group spokesperson.