OFF Radio Kraków became subject to public scrutiny after an AI-generated “journalist” conducted an “interview” with the deceased Polish Nobel Prize winner Wisława Szymborska.

The virtual Szymborska answered questions about the winner of this year's Nobel Prize in Literature, Han Kang.

The station also faced backlash over a proposed AI “interview” with iconic figure Marshal Józef Piłsudski, Poland's Chief of State, when the country regained its independence in 1918.

The station announced last week that, starting October 22 programs would be hosted by AI personas for the following three months. They intended to then replace the AI format with a new generation of young journalists.

Experiment over

The editor-in-chief of Radio Kraków, Marcin Pulit, declared that the experimental project had already fulfilled its purpose by prompting discussion.

“We assumed that this project would last a maximum of three months. However, after just one week, we have already gathered so many observations, opinions, and conclusions that we decided it was pointless to continue it,” Pulit added.

“We are pioneers, and the fate of pioneers can be difficult. They are criticized, ridiculed. We have had to deal with such reactions in recent days,” he said.

He added that the purpose of the project was to be a voice in the debate on the opportunities and threats posed by the development of artificial intelligence.