German newspaper giant to axe old-school editorial staff for AI

German tabloid company Bild is planning to replace a swath of its editorial staff with artificial intelligence and “automated processes” — the latest example of AI deployment at the cost of human workers.

According to a June 21 report from The Guardian, Bild’s parent publishing firm Axel Springer SE said the move is part of a pivot from print towards digital journalism, paired with a $109 million (100 million Euros) earnings-boosting plan.

The newspaper would “unfortunately be parting ways with colleagues who have tasks that in the digital world are performed by AI and/or automated processes”, its owner, Europe’s largest media publisher, Axel Springer SE, said in an email to staff. It said the roles of “editors,

— Hakon Redder (@HakonRedder) June 20, 2023

Around 200 jobs will reportedly be cut starting in July, with the firm telling staff via email they will “unfortunately part ways with colleagues whose jobs will be replaced by AI and/or automated processes in the digital world.”

The company added that roles “such as editors, print production journalists, proofreaders, photo editors and assistants will no longer exist like they do today.”

The daily tabloid was founded in June 1952. In the 1980s, Bild reportedly sold more than five million copies per day. In 2010, Bild’s circulation fell to 3.55 million, according to Mondo Times. As of 2022, the print newspaper only had a circulation of just over 1 million, per Media Impact.

Cointelegraph reached out to Bild for comment but did not receive an immediate reply.

The rapid development of AI has already sparked many concerns over job losses in the future.

In May, IBM CEO Arvind Krishna told Bloomberg that 7,800 jobs at the firm could be replaced by AI and automation over the next five years, representing approximately 30% of its workforce.

IBM expects to pause hiring for roles as roughly 7,800 jobs could be replaced by #AI.

Back-office functions such as human resources will be suspended or slowed.

30% of non-customer-facing roles could be replaced by AI and automations in 5 years.

Universities, Schools, HR… pic.twitter.com/OkyHMwhqQD

— Brian Solis (@briansolis) May 2, 2023

In a June 14 report, management consulting firm McKinsey & Co. predicted that generative AI may be able to fully automate as much as 50% of all work activity conducted in workplaces today, including tasks related to decision-making, management, and interfacing with stakeholders.

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