In Poland, Radio Krakow has decided to replace its human presenters with artificial intelligence. To appeal to young listeners, the station relied on three AI presenters adopting a “Gen Z” style.
The beginnings were surprising. The audience, usually small, jumped to 8,000 people. The curiosity of listeners created this initial enthusiasm. However, the situation quickly deteriorated.
The decision to Radio Krakow sparked a heated debate in Poland. Many have expressed concern about the impact of AI on human employment. Critics have accused Mariusz Marcin Pulitthe editor-in-chief, “sacrifice humans on the altar of technology”. In his defense, Pulit said he did not want to replace his staff with AI avatars. However, his actions demonstrated the opposite. The controversy continued to grow.
The announcement of a « interview unique » with the poetess Wisława Szymborska amplified the controversy. Although Szymborska died in 2012, Radio Krakow simulated this interview using AI. The host who led the conversation was also virtual. This shocked the listeners. Lukasz Zaleski, a fired host, expressed his frustration: “Deep discussions have been replaced by misleading simulations”he denounced.
Controversial AI characters
The introduction of AI personalities has also attracted strong criticism. One of the virtual presenters, Alex Szulcwas described as a non-binary and socially engaged person. After negative reactions from some LGBTQ activiststhe station removed references to Alex's gender. This decision caused further unease. Ultimately, this kind of representation created more tension than expected.
Even the supporters of artificial intelligence criticized Radio Krakow's approach. The Minister of Digitization, Krzysztof Gawkowski, clearly expressed his concerns. According to him, AI should serve people and not replace them. Other members of the government shared this view. Many accused the station of eliminating the “human factor” from radio. This added even more pressure on Pulit.
Under fire from critics, Pulit finally quit the AI-hosted show. Despite this, he defended his choice. According to him, he and his team are “pioneers” of this technology. He added: “The fate of pioneers is often difficult”. His message was intended to justify himself. However, for many, this experience will remain a notable failure.
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