New York Times Introduces AI Tools to Support Newsroom Operations

The Times unveils internal AI tool 'Echo' and approves several external AI platforms for tasks like summarization, SEO, and content development, while setting strict guidelines for their use.

The New York Times has approved the use of AI tools, including its in-house summarization tool 'Echo', to assist editorial and product staff in tasks such as summarizing content, generating SEO headlines, and creating social media copy.
External AI tools like GitHub Copilot, Google Vertex AI, OpenAI's non-ChatGPT API, and Amazon's AI products are also permitted, with legal department oversight for some applications.
Strict editorial guidelines prohibit using AI to draft or significantly alter articles, input third-party copyrighted content, circumvent paywalls, or publish AI-generated visuals without clear labeling.
Staff are undergoing mandatory AI training to explore potential use cases, such as developing news quizzes, brainstorming interview questions, and analyzing internal documents.
Although the initiative aims to enhance journalistic capabilities, some employees have raised concerns about AI's potential to reduce creativity, generate inaccuracies, and affect productivity.