“What’s in it for us? » ask journalists as publications sign content deals with AI companies

Voice Medias president, Pam Wasserstein, sent her staff A Soft message And A E-mail on Can 29 retailer What THE the company journalists say was shocking news: Voice had sign A content Licence agreement with OpenAI.

THE agreement given THE AI business to access has Vox current content, as GOOD as THE entire archive of It is journalistic work, has form ChatGPT And other models. Wasserstein sent THE alerts just moments Before Axios published A exclusive retailer THE Licence And product agreement, a lot has THE surprise of her journalists.

Writers has THE Atlantic, which sign A similar agreement with THE Backed by Microsoft AI giant, were Also sent A E-mail moments Before THE Axios piece went upwards.

"Atlantic Staff to have largely learned of This agreement Since out sources, And both THE business And OpenAI to have denied has answer questions about THE terms of THE agreement," bed A Can 30 statement Since THE Atlantic Union. 

None of THE current Or ancient journalists has either business WHO TechCrunch interviewed had any of them idea that their work would be be handed over on has OpenAI. All of them are concerned that their employers are manufacturing myopic offers that will Ultimately harm writers And journalism as A whole.

Both Voice Media — which understand THE Edge, New York, Eater, THE Cut And more publications — And THE Atlantic to have published pieces that are critical of OpenAI And generative AI. They to have broadcast concerns about THE environmental impact of THE power necessary has run big language models, THE advice upheavals has OpenAI, And THE "general lack of reliability" In THE business, said Amy McCarthy, A journalist has Eater And communications chair of Vox union. 

Voice did not answer has A request For comment. 

From THE offers were announcement, journalists has each editor to have argued meetings with business side superiors has learn more about THE Agreements, look For A crucial piece of information: What is this In he For THE journalists?

In THE confront of A increasing number of AI media offers, news guilds are NOW notch up THE pace of negotiations has put In place AI protections similar has THE those Hollywood in writing teams fought For. 

"THE Writers Guild And Voice Media union are firmly of THE notice that Implementation of AI East A OBLIGATORY subject of negotiation, even However OUR contracts can not explicitly to have AI provisions," McCarthy said TechCrunch. "We TO DO to have provisions In OUR contract that basically mean that THE business has has to bargain with We on fundamental changes has OUR functioning terms, And We very a lot believe This East A workplace issue, that It is A functioning terms issue, And that THE business East obliged has to bargain with We about how This will work."

This means editors that strike offers with AI suppliers could be contractually required has to commit In discussions And negotiations with trade unions about these changes. 

THE Atlantic Media union had Also destined has bring This issue has THE negotiation painting, but THE OpenAI agreement adds A sense of emergency, A current employee said TechCrunch, asking anonymity. 

During negotiations This month, THE Atlantic union put Before A proposal, by which AI wouldn't it be be used has replace in writing, Fact checking, copy editing And drawing. He Also propose that writers can to use AI has their discretion, In compliance with journalistic principles And ethics, but they can't be do has to use he. That proposal East Again has be accepted. 

Other trade unions are functioning has put In similar protections. Nebraska journalists has THE Omaha Herald of the world Guild secure protections Since AI earlier This year. In 2...