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NY Bill Aims to Protect Journalists' Work from AI Exploitation

  //food-wine.news-articles.net/content/2026/02/02 .. otect-journalists-work-from-ai-exploitation.html
  Published in Food and Wine on Monday, February 2nd 2026 at 12:34 GMT by TheWrap
      Locales: New York, UNITED STATES

Albany, NY - February 2nd, 2026 - A groundbreaking bill in New York State, designed to shield journalists from the unchecked exploitation of their work by artificial intelligence, has garnered significant support from major entertainment and news unions. The Writers Guild of America (WGA), SAG-AFTRA, and the NewsGuild-CWA have all officially endorsed bill A.3771/S.3757, which seeks to establish clear guidelines for the use of journalistic content in the training of AI models.

The legislation, currently awaiting a vote in the New York State legislature, represents a pivotal moment in the ongoing conversation surrounding AI's impact on creative professions. It mandates explicit consent from journalists before their articles, reports, and other written work can be incorporated into the datasets used to train large language models (LLMs). Furthermore, the bill demands transparency regarding the use of AI in the creation and dissemination of news content, requiring clear disclosure when AI tools have been utilized.

This move comes amidst escalating anxieties within the journalism industry regarding the potential for widespread job displacement and the proliferation of AI-generated disinformation. The bill's proponents argue that journalists, like other creative professionals, deserve control over their intellectual property and should be compensated for its use.

"For too long, news organizations and tech companies have been operating in a grey area, effectively scraping the internet for content to power their AI algorithms without regard for the rights of the creators," stated Meredith Walker, President of WGA East, during a press conference held earlier today. "This legislation is a crucial step in establishing a fairer and more sustainable ecosystem for journalism in the age of artificial intelligence."

Fran Drescher, President of SAG-AFTRA, echoed this sentiment. "The integrity and future of journalism, alongside all creative fields, are intrinsically linked to protecting the rights of those who produce the content," she said. "This bill isn't just about journalism; it's about setting a precedent for respecting creators across the board and ensuring they are properly valued for their contributions."

The NewsGuild-CWA highlighted the specific threats facing journalists. Concerns have been mounting about AI's ability to generate convincing, but ultimately false, news articles, potentially eroding public trust in legitimate reporting. Additionally, the union fears that news organizations, eager to cut costs, may increasingly rely on AI to produce content, leading to significant job losses for reporters, editors, and other newsroom staff. A recent internal study by the NewsGuild-CWA indicated that nearly 40% of surveyed members believe their jobs are at risk due to AI within the next five years.

The New York bill isn't operating in a vacuum. Similar legislative efforts are underway in California, Illinois, and Maryland. Several members of Congress have also indicated their intention to introduce federal legislation addressing AI and intellectual property rights, potentially creating a national standard. However, navigating the complexities of AI regulation presents significant challenges. Critics argue that overly restrictive laws could stifle innovation and hinder the development of potentially beneficial AI applications.

The core issue revolves around "data scraping" - the practice of automatically collecting data from the internet. While often considered legal under current copyright law, particularly concerning "fair use" provisions, the rapid advancement of AI has exposed loopholes. AI models require massive datasets to function effectively, and much of this data comes from copyrighted material, including news articles. The New York bill seeks to clarify that using a journalist's work to train an AI model requires explicit permission, distinguishing it from simply reporting on their work.

Legal experts anticipate potential challenges to the bill based on First Amendment grounds. Tech companies may argue that the requirement for consent infringes on their right to free speech. However, proponents contend that protecting the economic rights of journalists is also a legitimate interest and that the bill strikes a reasonable balance between innovation and creator protection.

The outcome of the vote in New York is being closely watched by media organizations and AI developers nationwide. If passed, it could set a powerful precedent for other states and potentially pave the way for federal legislation, fundamentally reshaping the relationship between artificial intelligence and the journalism industry.