Major US online publisher sacks 180 journalists, replaces them with AI

Struggling online publisher BuzzFeed will start using artificial intelligence (AI) to help write its quizzes after laying off dozens of employees, Report informs referring to The Telegraph.

The media company, known for its light-hearted articles and “listicles”, will work with OpenAI, the creator of ChatGPT, on the initiative.

The chatbot, which provides human-like written responses to prompts, has attracted praise from tech executives, academics and politicians amid hopes it could simplify and transform tasks across a range of industries.

The technology will be used to create quizzes on the website that are tailored to an individual, with, for example, a pitch for a personalized rom com.

The quiz would ask prompt questions such as “Pick a trope for your rom com” and “Tell us an endearing flaw you have” before using AI to generate a write-up based on the responses, according to a memo to staff from chief executive Jonah Peretti.

Peretti said he planned to increase the use of AI across BuzzFeed’s editorial output and business operations this year, according to the memo seen by the Wall Street Journal.

Peretti said he expected AI to assist the creative process and enhance the content, while humans would provide “cultural currency” and “inspired prompts”.

But he suggested the use of the technology could be extended further to help “create, personalize, and animate the content itself” over the next 15 years.

The company’s push into AI comes just over a month after it sacked 12pc of its workforce – around 180 employees.

Peretti blamed the cuts on the worsening economic outlook, as well as changes in how people consume media.