Using new technology, OFF Radio Kraków, a regional branch of the country’s public broadcaster, aired an “interview” with Wisława Szymborska, a Nobel prize-winning Polish poet who died in 2012.
The interview recreated Szymborska’s speaking style to answer questions about this year's Nobel prize in literature.
Marcin Pulit, the public official responsible for overseeing the station’s switch to AI, said: “This is a research and media experiment, meant to explore the future impact of artificial intelligence on media, journalism and culture.”
He added that the station had terminated contracts with several journalists due to poor ratings, replacing them with AI personas as of October 22.
The decision was slammed by some of the station’s listeners and ex-journalists.
‘Dangerous step’
“This use of artificial intelligence is a dangerous step that could lead to significant harm,” said former OFF Radio Kraków host Mateusz Demski.
Critics of the new AI-driven format include the station's advisory board, which said it was “appalled.”
In a statement, it added it would "strongly oppose any actions that undermine the achievements and cultural heritage of the Kraków station.”
Responding to anger at the layoffs and the replacement of human hosts with AI, Pulit said the experiment was set to last three months, after which a new generation of young journalists would take over.
AI-generated content put out by the station is marked with a statement at the top that reads: “All content on this page was generated with the support of artificial intelligence. It is part of a radio project and a broader debate on the use of AI in culture and media.”
