The New York Times is expanding its use of artificial intelligence, granting product and editorial teams access to AI-powered tools for various newsroom tasks.
According to Semafor, the company recently announced the introduction of AI training for its staff and unveiled a proprietary AI tool called Echo.
Additionally, the Times has shared new guidelines and resources outlining best practices for AI use in its journalism and digital products.
In a statement to employees, the company emphasized the role of AI in enhancing journalistic work, “Generative AI can assist our journalists in uncovering the truth and helping more people understand the world. Machine learning already helps us report stories we couldn’t otherwise, and generative AI has the potential to bolster our journalistic capabilities even more.”
The Times also highlighted AI’s ability to make its content more accessible through features like automated translations, voice-generated articles, and other potential applications yet to be explored.
The company framed AI as a valuable tool rather than a solution in itself, “Likewise, the Times will become more accessible to more people through features like digitally voice[d] articles, translations into other languages, and uses of generative AI we have yet to discover. We view the technology not as some magical solution but as a powerful tool that, like many technological advances before, may be used in service of our mission.”
The newly approved AI tools include GitHub Copilot for coding, Google’s Vertex AI for product development, Amazon AI tools, NotebookLM, the NYT’s ChatExplorer, and OpenAI’s non-ChatGPT API—though access to OpenAI’s tools requires legal approval.
Echo, the in-house beta AI tool, is designed to assist with summarizing articles, briefings, and interactive content.
Journalists are encouraged to use AI for tasks such as generating SEO-friendly headlines, crafting summaries, brainstorming interview questions, analyzing internal documents, and developing promotional materials. Training materials suggest AI-assisted prompts such as:
How many times was Al mentioned in these episodes of Hard Fork?
Can you revise this paragraph to make it tighter?
Pretend you are posting this Times article to Facebook. How would you promote it?
Summarize this Times article in a concise, conversational voice for a newsletter.
Can you propose five search-optimized headlines for this Times article?
Can you summarize this play written by Shakespeare?
Can you summarize this federal government report in layman’s terms?
However, the Times has imposed clear boundaries on AI usage. Journalists are prohibited from using AI to draft or substantially rewrite articles, input copyrighted or confidential materials, bypass paywalls, or publish AI-generated images and videos unless explicitly labeled as demonstrations.
The company has also cautioned against using unapproved AI tools, as improper use could compromise the Times’ ability to protect sources and sensitive information.
The move comes as the New York Times is engaged in an ongoing legal battle against OpenAI, accusing the company of unlawfully training its models on Times content, resulting in large-scale copyright infringement.
OpenAI’s investor, Microsoft, has pushed back, arguing that the lawsuit seeks to stifle technological progress.
Despite the company’s push for AI integration, not all employees are fully on board. Some newsroom staff expressed concerns that reliance on AI could lead to uninspired headlines, inaccuracies, and a decline in creativity.
Additionally, tensions remain between some Times employees and major AI firms, with lingering frustration over past labour disputes.
Following a report on a strike by the Times’ tech employees in 2024, Perplexity’s CEO suggested AI could replace the striking workers, a remark that irritated some staff members.
While the Times is embracing AI’s potential, its newsroom remains divided on the long-term impact of the technology.
