Journalists Pen Open Letter to Push for AI Regulations, Preserve Public Trust in Media

A consortium of news organizations, writers, and photographer groups, have united to advocate for the establishment of regulations governing the use of artificial intelligence (AI) in the media.

In an open letter delivered Wednesday via Associated Press, the coalition cited issues on intellectual property rights and the potential proliferation of misinformation using AI technology. It also laid out priorities for setting guidelines around this rapidly advancing technology.

The open letter, titled "Preserving public trust in media through unified AI regulation and practices," underscored the importance of maintaining public faith in the media while acknowledging the potential benefits and pitfalls of generative AI models.

It highlighted the threat posed by unchecked AI technology to the credibility and autonomy of content, potentially undermining trust and the potential impact on the financial stability of creators.

Unprecedented Pace of AI

The letter emphasized that although the media sector has historically adapted to new technologies, the unprecedented pace of AI development raises unique challenges, particularly concerning intellectual property rights and the quality of content.

Signatories to the letter expressed their support for responsible AI advancements but stressed the necessity of a legal framework to safeguard the content that powers AI applications and uphold the integrity of factual information in the media.

The letter noted that generative AI and large language models enable the widespread production and dissemination of synthetic content, which can blur the line between truth and falsehood, even without malicious intent.

Moreover, the letter highlighted that generative AI models frequently employ proprietary media content crafted by publishers and other stakeholders without reportedly due acknowledgment or compensation.

"Such practices undermine the media industry's core business models, which are predicated on readership and viewership (such as subscriptions), licensing, and advertising," the signatories wrote.

Recommendations for Regulatory Action

The coalition's recommendations for regulatory and industry action include the following:

1. Transparency regarding the composition of training sets used in AI model development.

2. Consent of intellectual property rights holders for using and replicating their content in AI training data and outputs.

3. Facilitating collective negotiations between media companies and AI model operators to determine terms of intellectual property access.

4. Mandating clear and consistent labeling of outputs and interactions involving AI-generated content.

5. Requiring AI model providers to mitigate bias and misinformation in their services.

The letter also expressed support for global standards established by government and industry entities to govern AI development and deployment. It acknowledged the positive potential of generative AI while urging responsible practices that respect the rights of media entities and journalists.

A roster of prominent organizations has endorsed this initiative, including Agence France-Presse, European Pressphoto Agency, Gannett | USA TODAY Network, Getty Images, National Press Photographers Association, National Writers Union, News Media Alliance, The Associated Press, and The Authors Guild, among others.

"We look forward to being part of the solution to ensure that AI applications continue to prosper while respecting the rights of media companies and individual journalists who produce content that protects the truth and keeps our communities informed and engaged," the letter reads.