A radio station in Poland, OFF Radio Kraków, has sparked controversy by replacing its journalists with AI-generated presenters. The station described it as Poland’s first experiment where journalists are virtual avatars created by AI.
The station’s three AI presenters are designed to connect with younger audiences by discussing topics related to culture, art, and social issues, including LGBTQ+ concerns. Marcin Pulit, the station’s head, wrote this change will help explore whether AI presents more of an opportunity or threat to radio, media, and journalism.
Mateusz Demski, a journalist and film critic who previously worked at the station, strongly opposed the decision. He published an open letter in which he mentioned this incident as a dangerous precedent for a world where machines would replace experienced employees. Over 23,000 people have signed the petition and extended their unwavering support to the journalist.
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Demski further said that he received hundreds of calls from young people who disapproved of participating in such an experiment. However, Pulit defended the broadcaster’s position by stating that the journalists didn’t lose their jobs to AI but were fired due to near-zero listenership.
The radio station even aired an interview by an AI avatar that impersonated Wisława Szymborska, a Nobel Prize winner in Literature who died in 2012. Michał Rusinek, the president of the Wisława Szymborska Foundation, confirmed with broadcaster TVN that he agreed to let the station use the poet’s name. He said the poet had a great sense of humor and would have appreciated it.
The incident also caught the Polish Government’s attention, and Krzysztof Gawkowski, the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Digital Affairs, took to X to voice his concerns. He wrote that despite his enthusiasm for AI development, he believes AI must be used for people, not against them. He mentioned that he read Demski’s letter and that there is a need to establish legislation to regulate AI.
