World's first AI-generated newspaper edition

Il Foglio newspaper asserts that artificial intelligence (AI) is used “for everything – from headlines, quotes to even… satire”.

Italy ra mắt số báo đầu tiên trên thế giới viết bằng AI

Il Foglio, an Italian newspaper, claims to be the first in the world to launch an issue produced entirely by AI. (Screenshot)

On March 18, an “unusual” version appeared alongside the printed edition of Il Foglio on Italian newsstands. None of the approximately 20 articles had the author’s name. All bore the line: “Text generated by AI (artificial intelligence).” There were no names, no subtitles, but between the lines, there was the shadow of an invisible, anonymous machine…

Il Foglio claims to be the first news organization in the world to launch an edition produced entirely by AI.

Editor Claudio Cerasa shared that the initiative is part of a month-long experiment to clarify the impact of AI technology “on the way we work and our daily lives”.

The four-page Il Foglio AI edition is included in the paper’s large-format edition. “This is the first daily newspaper in the world to be published entirely by AI, from the article, to the headline, to the quote, to the summary – even the satire,” Cerasa claims. The role of journalists is now limited to “giving an AI tool a command and receiving an answer.”

The front page featured a story about US President Donald Trump, analyzing “the paradox of his supporters in Italy.” Another article mentioned the latest Istat report on income redistribution, stating that “Italy is changing in a positive direction” and that income tax reform had helped some 750,000 workers get a pay rise.

Featured on page two is an article about the trend of “situationships” – a form of casual, no-strings-attached relationship – and how young Europeans are increasingly moving away from stable relationships.

The articles are presented in a clear, coherent and well-structured manner, with no significant grammatical errors. Notably, none of the articles directly quoted any individual.

The final page features letters to the editor created by AI, asking whether AI will make humans “useless” in the future. In response, AI writes: “AI is a great step forward, but it still can’t order a cup of coffee without getting the sugar wrong.”

Il Foglio AI is like “a real newspaper,” Cerasa said, with news, debate, and multiple perspectives. It is a test to see how AI can work in practice, to see how the technology will impact the production of a daily newspaper, and to ask questions that “we have to ask ourselves, not just from a purely journalistic perspective.”

“This is just another version of Il Foglio, made with intelligence – but don't call it artificial intelligence,” said Mr. Cerasa.

The experiment comes as news organizations around the world look to incorporate AI into their operations. Earlier in March, BBC News also used AI to provide more personalized content to its audience.

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