Italian daily newspaper Il Foglio has become the first publication in the world to release an edition entirely produced by artificial intelligence (AI). The initiative, part of a month-long journalistic experiment, aims to explore AI’s impact on news production and journalism.
AI Takes Over the Newsroom
Il Foglio’s AI-generated edition, a four-page broadsheet, is available online and on newsstands. According to the newspaper’s editor, Claudio Cerasa, AI was responsible for every aspect of its creation, from writing articles and headlines to generating quotes and summaries. “For everything. The writing, the headlines, the quotes, the summaries. And, sometimes, even for the irony,” Cerasa stated. He clarified that journalists’ roles were minimal, limited to inputting questions into an AI tool and reviewing the responses.
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Content Without Human Input
The first edition of Il Foglio AI features articles on major political figures such as U.S. President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin, as well as pieces on Italy’s economy and social trends. The front page includes a column titled “Putin, the 10 Betrayals”, outlining 20 years of broken promises and torn agreements by the Russian leader. Another headline refers to “the paradox of Italian Trumpians”, criticizing those who oppose cancel culture while supporting Trump’s authoritarian actions.
The second page contains a story on “situationships,” a trend where young Europeans avoid committed relationships. Notably, none of the news articles directly quote human sources. The final page of the edition features AI-generated letters to the editor, one of which questions whether AI will render humans useless. The AI’s response, adding a touch of humor, states:
“AI is a great innovation, but it doesn’t yet know how to order a coffee without getting the sugar wrong.”
A Test for the Future of Journalism
This experiment by Il Foglio comes as news organizations globally are debating AI’s role in journalism. Many media houses have raised concerns over AI tools using their content without permission. Meanwhile, some news platforms are embracing AI—BBC News recently announced plans to use AI for more personalized content delivery.
Cerasa describes the AI-generated newspaper as a “real newspaper” that presents news, debates, and provocations. He emphasized that the project serves as a testing ground to evaluate how AI can function in newsrooms and the ethical and practical implications of AI-driven journalism. “It is just another [Il] Foglio made with intelligence. Don’t call it artificial,” he said.
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Il Foglio’s initiative highlights both the potential and limitations of AI-powered journalism. While the AI-generated content was structured, clear, and grammatically correct, it lacked original human quotes and investigative depth. The project raises important questions about AI’s role in journalism—can it replace traditional reporting, or is it merely a tool to assist journalists?