… ignites Backlash from Journalists
A Polish radio station, OFF Radio Krakow, has made headlines by replacing its journalists with AI-generated presenters, a move that has sparked widespread debate over the future of media and journalism.
The station, located in Krakow, Poland, announced this as “the first experiment in Poland” where virtual AI characters take over the roles traditionally held by human journalists.
Marcin Pulit, head of the station, positioned the decision as an innovative way to engage younger audiences on cultural, artistic, and social issues, especially those concerning the LGBTQ+ community.
“Is artificial intelligence more of an opportunity or a threat to media, radio, and journalism? We will seek answers to this question,” Pulit said in a statement.
He emphasized the station’s commitment to exploring the role of AI in modern journalism.
However, this move has not been without controversy. Journalist and film critic Mateusz Demski, who previously hosted a show on the station, publicly condemned the decision in an open letter, calling it “a dangerous precedent that hits us all.”
He cautioned that replacing human journalists with AI could lead to the displacement of experienced professionals. His letter resonated with many, as a petition he started gained over 15,000 signatures by mid-week.
Demski also mentioned receiving hundreds of calls from concerned individuals, mostly young people, expressing unease about the AI-driven shift.
Demski, who was let go in August along with approximately a dozen other journalists, voiced his surprise at the decision, especially given the station’s status as a publicly funded entity.
Despite the outcry, Pulit defended the layoffs, arguing that they were the result of declining listenership, which he said had dropped to “close to zero,” rather than being directly related to the AI integration.
The controversy has reached the government, with Poland’s minister of digital affairs and deputy prime minister, Krzysztof Gawkowski, weighing in on the debate.
“Although I am a fan of AI development, I believe that certain boundaries are being crossed more and more,” Gawkowski shared on X (formerly Twitter).
“The widespread use of AI must be done for people, not against them!”
Further fuelling the debate, the station aired a segment on Tuesday featuring an AI-generated host mimicking the voice of Wisława Szymborska, a celebrated Polish poet and Nobel laureate.
While reactions to the segment were mixed, Michał Rusinek, president of the Wisława Szymborska Foundation, confirmed that he had given permission for the use of her voice. “Szymborska had a sense of humour, and she likely would have appreciated this gesture,” Rusinek told TVN.
As the role of AI in creative industries continues to expand, OFF Radio Krakow’s bold experiment has raised important ethical and societal questions about the future of automation in journalism and media.
