New AI Columnist: Italian Newspaper Embrace AI With a Warning

In a move that will blur the line between satire and automation, an Italian newspaper will give artificial intelligence full freedom to write a weekly opinion column—celebrating not just the novelty, but the irony of a machine commenting on the human condition. The editors? Entirely aware of what they’re doing. The readers? Not so sure.

A Robot With a Voice—and a Personality

By mid-2025, Il Foglio, a conservative-leaning Italian newspaper, will formally introduce an AI columnist trained on classic political commentary, internet sarcasm, and just enough existential dread to keep things interesting.

• Unfiltered AI Essays: The AI will be fed current events and instructed to “think out loud,” producing editorials that intentionally blend intellectual rigor with machine-level detachment.
• No Censorship: The editorial board promises no pre-edits—every column will appear exactly as the AI writes it, grammar quirks and all.
• Irony Acknowledged: The newspaper says it’s a social experiment, meant to provoke readers into thinking critically about what authenticity means in media today.

Satire or Symptom?

The initiative is as much performance art as journalism. But it taps into deeper questions already swirling across Europe:

• Media Trust Crisis: With public confidence in media declining, does a robot columnist enhance or erode credibility?
• Voice vs. Value: If AI can write compelling arguments, what does that mean for human thought leadership?
• Complacency Warning: The editors hint that AI’s ability to mimic intellectual discourse might reveal how formulaic much of it already is.

In essence, Il Foglio is saying: “If this column sounds like the others, maybe that’s not the AI’s fault.”

Compared: Italy’s AI Column vs. Salvini’s AI Outrage

This lighthearted AI experiment arrives just days after a political storm over far-right politician Matteo Salvini’s use of racist AI-generated imagery. While one use of AI aims to amuse and reflect, the other triggered legal threats and public backlash. Together, they frame the dual narrative emerging across Europe: AI as a tool for expression—and a weapon for division.

Looking Ahead

Italy’s editorial experiment could inspire other outlets across Europe to test AI in creative roles—poets, critics, even humorists. But with generative tech under increasing legal and ethical scrutiny, the freedom of AI’s pen may not last long.

Expect future moves like:

• AI Disclosures Mandated in All Opinion Content
• Ethics Panels Reviewing Newsroom AI Usage
• AI-as-Author Debates in Journalism Unions and Academia

The age of the robotic columnist is here—and whether it’s a novelty or a new normal depends on how readers (and regulators) respond.

Future-Focused FAQs

Q1: Will AI-written columns be clearly labeled in Italy and across Europe?
A1: Yes. Under upcoming EU AI regulations, all AI-generated content used in media will need to be transparently labeled to avoid misleading readers and preserve journalistic integrity.

Q2: Could AI opinion columns replace human writers in the future?
A2: Unlikely for now. While AI can generate coherent prose, it lacks true insight, accountability, and emotional depth. Most publishers will use AI as a tool to assist, not replace, human commentators.

Q3: What’s the larger cultural risk of giving AI a public voice in media?
A3: If readers can’t distinguish between human and AI-authored content—or begin to trust both equally—there’s a danger that authenticity, nuance, and intellectual responsibility could erode over time.

Sources Reuters