The new version of Upday will focus on trending topics in the digital world. The transition, starting at the end of this month, will result in layoffs, leaving 70 employees from an original workforce of 150. This move aligns with Axel Springer's previous actions, as it announced in June that roles performed by AI or automated processes in the digital world would lead to staff departures.
Key takeaways:
- German publisher Axel Springer is downsizing its Upday news brand and will relaunch it next year as a service driven exclusively by artificial intelligence, which will result in some layoffs.
- Axel Springer is ending its cooperation with Samsung, eliminating Upday for Samsung, a pre-installed news app for Samsung devices, effective at the end of the year.
- The new Upday will focus on topics at the forefront of public attention in the digital world, and will initially be on a smaller scale.
- This move follows a trend within the company, as earlier this year, Axel Springer's Bild, Europe's largest tabloid, announced it would be parting ways with colleagues whose tasks could be performed by AI and/or automated processes.