Die Zeit Editor Credits AI for Growth
Jochen Wegner, Editor-in-Chief of German newspaper Die Zeit, stated that artificial intelligence is a core engine behind the publication's growth. In a recent podcast, he said that along with podcasts and vertical video formats, AI is a significant contributor to the paper's success. The statement highlights how other industries are leveraging AI for business strategy and operational excellence.
- In January 2024, Zeit Online launched a beta tool called "Fragen Sie Zeit Online" ("Ask Zeit Online"). This feature uses a large language model to answer user questions with information sourced directly from *Die Zeit's* article archive dating back to 1990, providing summaries with citations. - The development of "Ask Zeit Online" involved over 150 rapid iteration rounds to refine the product and mitigate the risk of misinformation, ensuring answers are strictly based on the newspaper's own content. - Sebastian Horn, Deputy Editor-in-Chief at Zeit Online, was also appointed Director of AI for the parent company, Zeit Verlagsgruppe, signaling a strategic focus on integrating artificial intelligence across the organization. - Beyond reader-facing products, the company uses AI as an assistance tool for journalists, including for transcribing interviews and extracting information from documents. - While Editor-in-Chief Jochen Wegner credits the massive expansion of the data journalism team as the most important pillar for subscription growth, he has also noted that the newsroom has built many AI features itself. - The company is also experimenting with using AI for article summaries, improving the quality of text-to-speech offerings, and utilizing AI-generated images from platforms like Midjourney or Adobe Firefly. - This focus on new formats is paired with significant growth, as the ZEIT Publishing Group's revenue increased by 5% in the 2024 financial year to a record €306 million, with total subscriptions reaching around 850,000. - In a new podcast launched in September 2025, "Nur eine Frage" ("Only One Question"), Jochen Wegner utilized AI to provide a German translation for an English-language interview, showcasing another practical application of the technology.
