A round table of Kommersant Publishing House on the topic of neural networks was held at the SPIEF

Vadim Tereshchuk, CEO of GPM Radio, presented a pragmatic view on the role of AI in the modern radio industry at the Kommersant Publishing House round table at SPIEF 2026. For the company, artificial intelligence is not a substitute for the leaders, but a kind of "supercalculator" that reduces costs, frees up time and helps the team focus on creativity.

"Neural networks are not hype or magic for us, they are a tough tool to increase productivity and reduce costs. The formula of AI economics in the media is simple: automate everything that has no soul, but leave the meaning to the person," said Vadim Tereshchuk.

The discussion "Intelligence to Help: the New Economy" brought together representatives of government, industry and consulting, media and creative industries, three key forces determining the development of artificial intelligence in Russia. Vadim Tereshchuk spoke about the role AI plays in the radio industry today — without techno-utopianism and with a clear understanding of practical benefits. GPM Radio (part of Gazprom Media Holding) It actively uses neural networks to analyze audio consumption, automate SMM content, and generate advertising spots. Processes that used to take days are now running in minutes.

The economic effect is supported by real cases. For example, Russia's first neural presenter debuted on Like FM – Laika, nicknamed Flash, participates in the Yandex Music Chart show and helps with smart mixing of tracks, and on Radio ENERGY (NRG), the digital mascot CASHBOT increases the level of listener engagement, which means advertising revenue. Another example is the cartoon show "The New Adventures of Freckles and Kipyatoshi" on Children's Radio. Hybrid AI models have reduced the cost and production time of animation by 2-4 times.

At the same time, according to the head of GPM Radio, artificial intelligence does not replace the presenters. "Radio, first of all, is live communication. The listener appreciates sincerity, charisma and spontaneity — something that only a human being can do," he said. This is also confirmed by the Andon Labs experiment, where different AI models were assigned to independently broadcast. The experience ended in failure: one bot became fixated on tragedies, the other went on strike because of the "inhumane" working conditions.

"That is why in the coming years we are not going to switch our stations to autonomous AI broadcasting: the core of the broadcast and prime time will remain with people,— stressed Vadim Tereshchuk. — The main secret of success in the new AI economy is not in the power of servers, but in the ability to combine technology with humanity. The biggest budgets will be collected by those companies that transform neural networks from an expensive and fashionable toy into an inconspicuous, effective assistant. And radio is in the most advantageous position here – it already knows how to be close to people, and AI only enhances this effect."

The St. Petersburg International Economic Forum is taking place from June 3-6 in the Northern Capital.