Bavarian Press Chief Warns of AI Risks Without Regulation

The leader of the Association of Bavarian Newspaper Publishers (VBZV), Andreas Scherer, warned against selling journalistic material to artificial intelligence (AI) during the group’s yearly gathering on Wednesday.

Scherer stated at the event in Brussels that without proper regulations, AI posed a threat not just to the journalistic business model but also to free and professional reporting, which serves as a cornerstone of democracy.

He pointed out that major AI platforms were utilizing articles from newspapers to both train their systems and build their business strategies.

Scherer stated that automated creation and generation of news articles were supplanting traditional journalism, which was leading to an insidious decline in the depth and quality of material produced by media organizations, along with a reduction in press freedoms.

Leading conservative politicians from Bavaria and Europe, Manfred Weber, highlighted the significance of an independent media. He stated during the gathering, "A vibrant and varied newspaper industry is essential to the European lifestyle."

During the meeting, Scherer was reaffirmed in his position for an additional two-year term.

The VBZV comprises 33 Bavarian media entities, including their digital offshoots and individual members.