AI Companies Threaten Journalism, Warns NY Times Publisher

G. Sulzberger, the publisher of the New York Times, addressed concerns regarding the impact of artificial intelligence on journalism during the 77th World New Media Congress organized by the World Association of Newspapers in Marseille, France.

He warned that AI companies pose a growing threat to the future of journalism by publishing content without adequate compensation. Sulzberger argued that these companies benefit while weakening new organizations that produce original reports.

He noted that the rise of AI tools, such as chatbots and search engines, reduces traffic to news websites, undermining revenue essential for supporting original journalism. Sulzberger emphasized the need for stronger legal protections for intellectual property rights and urged media organizations to defend these rights against AI firms that use copyrighted content to train their systems without permission.

He expressed concern that the industry is heading toward a future with fewer journalists, making it increasingly difficult to cover important issues and provide context and analysis.