As first reported by Jess Weatherbed in the Verge, the New York Times has reportedly instructed its staff to use AI tools, including its internal AI tool named Echo, “GitHub Copilot as a programming assistant, Google Vertex AI for product development, NotebookLM, the NYT’s ChatExplorer, OpenAI’s non-ChatGPT API, and some of Amazon’s AI products.”
The New York Times’ approved staff uses of AI include:
- “to suggest edits and revisions for their work,”
- “generate summaries, promotional copy for social media, and SEO headlines”
- “to develop news quizzes, quote cards, and FAQs,” and
- “suggesting what questions reporters should ask a start-up’s CEO during an interview.”
But the New York Times prohibits its writers from using AI to write their stories or “significantly alter an article.” The newspaper published on Oct. 7, 2024 a statement on its various uses of AI.
Why This Matters
The New York Times is now embroiled in a lawsuit against OpenAI and Microsoft. OpenAI and Microsoft asked Judge Sydney Stein to reverse a controversial discovery ruling by Magistrate Judge Ona Wang, who denied discovery of the New York Times’ use or development of AI tools (as well as evidence of market harm from AI).
Microsoft brief
OpenAI brief
NYT response