The research project “Generative Visual AI in Swiss Journalism: Exploring Production and Audience Perspectives Through a Mixed-Methods Design”, funded by the Swiss National Science Foundation (SNSF) and led by Prof. Dr. Sina Blassnig, investigates how media professionals in German-speaking Switzerland, French-speaking Switzerland and Ticino use, perceive and evaluate generative visual AI in their work.

This perspective is complemented by the audience’s viewpoint: how do media users envisage the use of such technologies in journalism? And how do they assess their use in news production?

The four-year project will commence in June 2026 and combines qualitative, quantitative and visual methods – including visual diaries, expert interviews, focus groups and online surveys with journalists and media users from all three major linguistic regions of Switzerland. It will also create two PhD positions. Dr Seraina Tarnutzer (senior lecturer at the IDCMI and co-author of the proposal) is involved as co-project leader.

> Further information on the IDCMI website