Polish Radio Station Sparks Outrage by Replacing Journalists with AI Hosts

A radio station in Poland has ignited a national debate after replacing its human journalists with AI-generated “presenters” in a move aimed at attracting younger audiences.

OFF Radio Krakow, based in the southern city of Krakow, recently relaunched with virtual characters powered by artificial intelligence, marking what it calls “the first experiment in Poland where journalists are AI creations.” The station announced that its three AI avatars will cover topics ranging from culture and art to social issues, including concerns from the LGBTQ+ community.

Station head Marcin Pulit described the move as part of a broader inquiry into the future of media, asking: “Is artificial intelligence more of an opportunity or a threat to media, radio, and journalism?”

The controversial shift drew significant attention after Mateusz Demski, a former journalist and film critic at OFF Radio, published an open letter criticizing the decision. Demski, who was among about a dozen journalists let go in August, condemned the use of AI in place of experienced media professionals, calling it “a dangerous precedent” that threatens the livelihoods of those in creative industries.

“This opens the door to a world where long-standing media professionals are replaced by machines,” Demski wrote, sparking a wave of support. His petition opposing the move garnered more than 15,000 signatures within a day, and he reported receiving calls from concerned listeners, especially young people, who oppose the AI experiment.

In response, Pulit denied that AI was the reason behind the layoffs, stating that the station’s listenership had dropped to nearly zero before the restructuring.

The controversy has reached national levels, with Krzysztof Gawkowski, Poland’s minister of digital affairs, expressing concerns on social media. While supporting AI development, Gawkowski cautioned that “certain boundaries are being crossed,” and emphasized that AI should serve people, not replace them.

OFF Radio Krakow further fueled the debate by broadcasting an AI-generated interview featuring a voice mimicking Wisława Szymborska, the late Polish Nobel laureate. While the Wisława Szymborska Foundation gave permission for the use of the poet’s name, its president, Michał Rusinek, remarked that while Szymborska had a playful side, the use of AI to imitate her voice sparked mixed reactions.

As the discussion on AI’s role in media continues, OFF Radio Krakow’s experiment has raised questions about the future of journalism and the ethical boundaries of artificial intelligence in public broadcasting.