AI Cannot Be Allowed to Undermine Journalism

AI must not strip journalists of their rights. Copyright protections ensure integrity, trust, and fair pay. The government must uphold them, not hand our work to AI developers.

As a journalist and a member of the National Union of Journalists (NUJ), I take great pride in my work. But like many of my colleagues, I am deeply concerned that the UK government’s proposed text and data mining exception could weaken critical safeguards that protect our copyright-protected work.

The government’s Copyright and Artificial Intelligence consultation opens the door for AI developers to use journalistic content without consent or fair compensation. This is unacceptable. AI may offer opportunities, and I welcome innovation, but not at the expense of the integrity of journalism.

AI is no substitute for the work that journalists do. The editorial judgment and ethical rigour that go into our reporting, whether in words or photographs, are essential to maintaining public trust and engagement in our democracy. Allowing AI developers unchecked access to our work threatens not just our livelihoods but also the credibility of the information that informs the public.

The NUJ has right…