In a move sure to draw attention from artificial intelligence (AI) companies, the New York Times has announced that it will no longer allow companies to use its content for algorithm training purposes.
The decision, made public in a statement released by the Times’ executive editor, Dean Baquet, emphasizes that the newspaper’s “commitment to independent journalism does not extend to giving away the products of [its] labor to individuals or companies.”
The statement goes on to explain that the use of the Times’ content by AI companies was leading to the algorithmic manipulation of the news that the paper works hard to avoid. The paper asserts that it believes “algorithm-driven news should be created in an ethical and responsible manner that considers the nuances of factual accuracy.”
As such, the Times will no longer allow AI companies to use its content as training material. Instead, it will create industry standards and protocols in partnership with other news organizations to ensure that algorithm-driven news is accurate and free from bias.
The move by the Times is significant and demonstrates that the paper is taking a stance to protect the integrity of its content. At a time when technology is becoming ever more pervasive, the newspaper is asserting its position that its content should only be used for its intended purpose: delivering factual, unbiased news.
This decision is sure to spark debate from both those outside the AI industry, and those within it. It is an example of the ongoing tensions between human journalists who work to craft informed, accurate news and those who seek to use artificial intelligence to automate the process. While AI companies will contend that it is this automation that allows them to sift through large amounts of content to deliver accurate stories, the traditional press has a valid argument as to why it should have control over its original content.
Ultimately, this move by the Times will serve as a warning to all those who seek to use its content for algorithms. The newspaper is clearly drawing a line in the sand, and it’s a line that companies will have to respect.
