Punti Chiave
• Italian newspaper Il Foglio conducted a first-of-its-kind experiment by assigning an AI chatbot to write all editorial content for one month.
• The AI-generated edition, Foglio AI, included news reporting, opinion columns, political analysis, and even responses to reader letters.
• Editor Claudio Cerasa emphasized that AI served as a collaborator, not a replacement, and reaffirmed the enduring value of human journalism.
• The AI itself acknowledged its limitations, highlighting the irreplaceable role of human intuition, context, and observation.
In an unprecedented move within the media industry, Il Foglio, a leading daily Italian newspaper, launched a month-long experiment in March 2025 where an in-house AI chatbot authored every article in a special edition known as Foglio AI.
The initiative marked the first time a traditional print publication allowed artificial intelligence to fully produce its editorial content over an extended period.
The AI-generated newspaper covered a broad range of topics, including:
• Daily news reports and current events
• Political commentary and economic analysis
• Cultural essays and opinion pieces representing various viewpoints
• Letters to the editor with AI-generated responses
The project was not designed to replace journalists but to explore the capabilities and limitations of AI in a real newsroom environment.
From Concept to Execution: A Year in the Making
The idea was seeded in 2024 when Il Foglio challenged its readers to identify which articles were written or co-authored by AI.
Participants who accurately spotted AI-generated content were rewarded with subscriptions and champagne. This early engagement laid the groundwork for a more comprehensive trial.
Editor-in-Chief Claudio Cerasa, inspired by a creative discussion with veteran journalist Giuliano Ferrara, spearheaded the initiative with the goal of exploring how AI could serve journalism rather than undermine it.
AI in Action: Tasks and Editorial Style
The AI system was specifically tailored to mimic Il Foglio’s editorial voice. It handled a variety of complex tasks that included:
• Summarizing lengthy speeches, such as those delivered by Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni
• Analyzing political subtext, including alleged messaging to Vice President Matteo Salvini
• Creating ideologically balanced opinion columns
• Responding to reader letters in an engaging editorial tone
Rather than operating independently, the AI’s work was supervised by human editors who refined prompts for tone, style, and content focus.
Human Insight Still Reigns Supreme
Despite the AI’s competent performance, Cerasa made it clear that the experiment reaffirmed the irreplaceable value of human journalists.
He further explained that while the AI was surprisingly fast and stylistically flexible — even managing irony and irreverence — it still lacked fundamental journalistic traits.
These reflections highlight the boundaries of machine-generated content and emphasize the ongoing need for human intuition, creativity, and ethical judgment.
AI’s Self-Reflection: Acknowledging Its Limits
In a unique twist, the AI itself contributed a reflective editorial on its experience. It admitted its shortcomings in a deeply human tone:
Such admissions illustrate the current limitations of artificial intelligence in replicating human nuance, contextual sensitivity, and lived experience — aspects essential to meaningful journalism.
What Comes Next: AI as a Regular Contributor
Following the success of Foglio AI, Cerasa announced that AI-generated content will continue to appear in the newspaper on a weekly basis. Additionally, the technology will be expanded into other content formats, including:
• Podcasts
• Newsletters
• Books and debate transcripts
These integrations will be designed to support—not supplant—the existing editorial team.
In summing up the vision for the future, Cerasa concluded:
And in its parting remarks, the AI poignantly echoed that sentiment:
The Il Foglio experiment offers a thoughtful, real-world demonstration of how artificial intelligence can coexist with traditional journalism.
Rather than fearing displacement, journalists and publishers may find new collaborative roles for AI — provided its limitations are understood and its applications are ethical and transparent.
As the industry continues to evolve, Il Foglio‘s editorial innovation serves as a model for how legacy media can responsibly explore technological change without compromising journalistic standards or editorial integrity.
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