I can't believe I have to say this: Daily Kos writers are human beings

Friend, this year in particular, with a collapsing advertising as a revenue model, news outlets are looking for cost-saving methods to keep operations running. News outlets have [laid off a record number]( of staff, filed for [bankruptcy](, erected paywalls and expensive subscriptions to access content, all in hopes of balancing their budgets. The latest money-saving effort is to [experiment with artificial intelligence]( in place of writers and journalists. Don't get me wrong, AI is fascinating and can be used as a tool, but in no way whatsoever will it ever replace the experiences and emotions that actual human writers bring to the news (I can't believe I just wrote that). Daily Kos hasn't been immune to the financial hardships that plagued other news media outlets over the past few years. Earlier this year we were forced to make budget cuts and other hard decisions. However, one cost-saving effort Daily Kos will never implement is to replace our writers with artificial intelligence. Instead, when faced with declining advertising revenue, Daily Kos turned to our readers and activists to ask for help. The response was overwhelmingly supportive. Today, donations of just a few dollars at a time make up nearly 60% of overall income. In other words, Daily Kos is accountable to you, our readers, activists, and community. We know that in order to keep operating, we have to fight and deliver for what you believe in. [Daily Kos needs to raise $119,215 by the end of December. Please support progressive news and activism with a donation of $5 or more today.]( [DONATE]( Thank you for all you do, Amanda McKay, Daily Kos If you wish to donate by mail instead, please send a check to Daily Kos, PO Box 70036, Oakland, CA, 94612. Contributions to Daily Kos are not tax deductible. Sent via [ActionNetwork.org](. To update your email address, change your name or address, or to stop receiving emails from Daily Kos, please [click here](.