Deutsche Welle names Simon Uhl as first chief AI officer

Deutsche Welle has appointed Simon Uhl as its first chief AI officer, giving him responsibility for the strategic management of its artificial-intelligence and data activities. Uhl’s post sits in the Directorate General Management. He will work with DW’s management team to set priorities for cross-functional initiatives and develop the organization’s AI strategy. The new role is intended to improve cooperation among AI initiatives, establish common standards and scale innovation more efficiently across DW. Director General Barbara Massing said Uhl brought extensive experience in artificial intelligence, data journalism and media innovation, as well as an ability to bring people and expertise together. She said he would help shape DW’s AI transformation across the organization. Uhl joined DW in December 2025 and had been head of Editorial AI & Lab, where he developed and tested new AI applications and editorial workflows. Before joining the broadcaster, he worked on data-journalism and AI-driven applications at DER SPIEGEL and on media-industry innovation projects at Media Lab Bayern. The appointment places the responsibility for coordinating AI work at management level. DW says AI can support areas including workflow improvement, accessibility, translation, data and content analysis, and adapting material to different formats. DW’s published AI policy says the technology is a tool to support journalism and provide value to audiences, rather than an end in itself. It says humans remain responsible for every editorial decision and published item, and that the broadcaster will not publish AI-generated output without human review. The policy permits AI support for tasks such as summarising, translating and format adaptation, subject to human verification, editing and approval. DW says it does not use AI to write entire articles or scripts, or to replace human journalists in audio or video content. It also requires disclosure of significant AI use and clear labelling where AI-generated or altered material could be mistaken for authentic human-made or real-world content. Uhl said artificial intelligence offered “tremendous opportunities for international journalism,” but that it must be used responsibly and in ways that strengthen journalism’s mission. DW says it applies particular caution in breaking news, crisis and conflict coverage, investigative reporting and sensitive subjects, where errors can harm people or weaken trust. Other public-service media have adopted different organizational approaches to AI governance. The Public Media Alliance says broadcasters broadly see potential to improve processes and output, while warning of risks to journalism, public trust and the wider information sphere. It points to organizational responses including AI councils at Swedish Radio and Mediacorp, while ZDF has set out nine principles for integrating generative AI, led by the principle that it may support editorial teams but cannot replace them. DW’s policy was adopted in accordance with the joint AI Codex of Germany’s public broadcasters and is reviewed continuously as technologies, risks, regulation and audience expectations change.