The Publisher of The New York Times, A.G. Sulzberger, has raised concerns that artificial intelligence companies are increasingly undermining journalism by exploiting news content without fair compensation, a development he says could endanger the sustainability of the industry.
Sulzberger made the remarks on Monday during the 77th World News Media Congress organised by the World Association of News Publishers in Marseille, France, where global media leaders gathered to discuss the future of journalism.
He argued that while AI firms are rapidly expanding and accumulating vast influence, they are simultaneously benefiting from the work of news organisations without adequately supporting the ecosystem that produces original reporting.
According to him, the rise of AI-powered search engines and chatbots is already affecting audience traffic to news platforms, thereby reducing the revenue that sustains investigative journalism and daily news production.
“The companies driving A.I., already among the richest and most powerful in human history, are consolidating their outsize control over our data and our attention,” he said, adding that they are failing to meet what he described as a responsibility to ensure access to credible news.
Sulzberger further accused AI developers of using copyrighted news material to train their systems and generate responses, often without authorization or compensation to content creators.
He warned that if the trend continues, journalism could face a severe decline in human resources and capacity.
“As a result, I fear we are careening toward a future with fewer and fewer journalists to do the expensive, difficult work of original reporting, going to places, talking to people, digging up information, covering important issues and events, providing context and analysis, investigating the powerful,” he said.
He also criticised the arguments often advanced by AI companies, including claims of innovation necessity, fair use, and global competition, which he said are frequently used to justify the use of publishers’ content without payment.
Sulzberger maintained that journalism remains vital to democracy, urging media organisations to defend their intellectual property rights while adapting responsibly to technological change.
He also stressed the need for news outlets to engage with artificial intelligence carefully, ensuring it supports rather than replaces original reporting and editorial judgment.
His comments come as several media organisations, including The New York Times, continue legal battles against AI firms over alleged unauthorized use of copyrighted news content in training datasets.