• by Ray Schultz , July 1, 2024

Axel Springer is on the market for AI purchases.

The international media firm plans to “entirely focus on acquisitions—early-stage acquisitions or later-stage acquisitions in AI companies—that can be, for various reasons, important or attractive for Axel Springer," said CEO Matthias Doepfner in an internal podcast, Reuters reports. 

As to what the benefit will be, Doepfner seeks AI technology that will disrupt its business models in advertising and editorial. 

"If somebody wants to kill journalism, OK, let us understand how and why, and let us journalists do it ourselves," Doepfner said, according to Reuters. 

Last December, Axel Springer signed a deal that would allow OpenAI to use its content to train AI models. Earlier, he commented that he didn't see AI as "a structural enemy of journalism. I see it as a potential friend. Why? Because we can come up with new products that we could have never afforded before."

Axel Springer’s media properties include the German publications Bild and Welt along with Business Insider and Politico.