The New York Post reported on March 2, 2023, that Axel Springer CEO Mathias Döpfner warned staff that artificial intelligence could replace journalists. The Post said the memo was obtained by the Guardian and quoted him: “Artificial intelligence has the potential to make independent journalism better than it ever was — or simply replace it.” That quote is published as a memo line through those outlets. This file did not independently host the memo PDF.
He is CEO of a company that employs journalists at Politico, Insider, Bild, and Welt. A staff warning is a statement, not a layoff order and not a finding about any one newsroom’s headcount.