New York Times explores AI integration in newsroom

NEW YORK, UNITED STATES — The New York Times is building an internal artificial intelligence (AI) team to responsibly explore how generative AI and machine learning can be utilized to augment its journalism while maintaining editorial standards.

The team will be led by newly appointed Zach Seward, a veteran media executive and founding editor of Quartz, who will serve as the publication’s first Editorial Director of AI Initiatives.

Comprising roles such as machine learning engineers, software engineers, designers, and editors, Seward posted on Threads that the new AI group will be “focused on prototyping uses of generative AI and other machine-learning techniques to help with reporting and how The Times is presented to readers.”

In fact, The Times already has a listing for associate editorial director, AI initiatives.

While embracing technological progress, The Times remains committed to ensuring its core journalistic work of reporting, writing, and editing the news will continue to be handled by expert journalists, according to a memo posted after Seward’s hiring.

This move comes in the wake of the Times’ legal dispute with OpenAI and Microsoft over alleged content replication by AI models. 

The New York Times joins a growing list of news organizations exploring AI integration, including Axel Springer and the Associated Press.