"The important facts that people know ultimately come from original reporting by the press."
Arthur Gregg Sulzberger, Chairman and Publisher of The New York Times, addressed the World News Media Congress (WNMC 2026) in Marseille, France, on June 1, emphasizing the crisis and role of journalism in the age of generative artificial intelligence (AI) during a 40-minute speech. He criticized AI companies for unauthorized use of content and copyright infringement while stressing the need for journalism to strengthen its original reporting to survive.
Sulzberger's speech resonated with the audience of over 1,300 journalists and media executives, eliciting applause multiple times. BBC journalist Ros Atkins, who moderated the session, described it as "one of the most powerful speeches I've heard from journalists recently."
The keynote address, titled "AI Journalism and the Uncertain Future of the Public Square," focused more on the value of journalism and survival strategies than on criticizing AI technology itself.
Sulzberger stated, "The New York Times is not an organization that has rejected technological innovation. We have long collaborated with tech companies and are currently using AI responsibly and ethically." He added, "Avoiding powerful new technologies is a shortcut to failure," and described AI as a technology that can have many positive impacts on the world.
However, he pointed out serious issues with the current growth model of the AI industry.
Sulzberger explained that the AI industry operates based on four elements: talent, computing infrastructure, energy, and data. He noted that AI companies invest tens of millions to hundreds of millions of dollars to secure top engineers and spend enormous amounts on data centers, semiconductors, and energy, yet apply a different standard to data.
"AI companies are taking data without consent or compensation," he said, adding that much of what they call data is actually copyrighted material such as news articles, books, music, and films. He emphasized, "Even OpenAI acknowledges that today's major AI models cannot learn without copyrighted material, and ultimately, the success of AI models depends on the datasets they use."
Sulzberger repeatedly highlighted that media content is a core resource for the AI industry. He shared that The New York Times produced approximately 500,000 pieces of content, including articles, photos, videos, and podcasts last year, investing over $2 billion in the process. He also mentioned that the organization has reporters in all 50 U.S. states and 155 countries worldwide.
"The information uncovered by reporters in the field, witness testimonies, confidential documents, expert analyses, photos, and videos enrich public records," he said. "The important facts that people know ultimately come from these original reports." He added, "AI can analyze and reconstruct publicly available information, but it cannot conduct reporting activities that discover or verify new facts," emphasizing that AI also relies on information produced by journalism.
Sulzberger also addressed the issues of errors and distortions exhibited by recent AI services. He stated, "AI is often vulnerable in expressing uncertainty, frequently delivering incorrect information with a tone of certainty. Unlike news organizations, AI companies do not correct or take responsibility for misinformation."
A more significant concern is that AI is beginning to replace the direct relationship between news organizations and readers. Sulzberger noted, "In the past, search platforms connected users to news sites, but AI only provides answers, causing users to stop visiting original sources. This could further weaken the revenue structure and reader base of the news industry."
He referenced research indicating that AI services send significantly less traffic to news organizations than traditional search services, warning, "If the connection with readers weakens following a decline in advertising revenue, the news industry will face a more significant crisis."
Sulzberger cautioned that AI could have serious implications for the public square as well. He remarked, "It is becoming increasingly difficult to know what is true and where information comes from. While it is problematic for people to believe falsehoods, it is even more dangerous when they stop believing the truth." He added, "As a result, people disengage from the public sphere, and social trust diminishes. Research shows that in communities where local journalism has disappeared, civic participation declines and corruption increases."
To address this crisis, Sulzberger proposed four actions for journalism. First, he emphasized the importance of copyright protection, stating, "Intellectual property rights must be upheld for the future of the news industry. We must make it clear that theft is wrong, based on simple ethical principles."
Second, he advised careful contracting with AI companies, urging news organizations to scrutinize whether fair compensation is provided and whether they can maintain control over content usage, even when entering licensing agreements.
Third, he called for legislative action, advocating for stronger copyright protections, transparency in AI training data, and enhanced accountability for AI companies.
Fourth, he stressed the need for solidarity within the journalism industry, stating, "AI companies are engaging in lobbying and promotional activities with their vast financial resources. The only way for the journalism industry to respond is to act together."
At the same time, he urged journalism to adapt. Sulzberger stated, "We must use AI in the right way, actively leveraging technology to enhance the quality of journalism and strengthen business models." He also emphasized the need to reduce dependence on platforms and become brands that connect directly with readers.
"To survive in a world mediated by AI, we need differentiated journalism that readers will seek out intentionally," he said, adding, "There is no other place to provide this reporting for readers or AI."
At the conclusion of his speech, Sulzberger asserted, "Information has value. Journalism has value." He remarked, "The internet is already overflowing with bots and low-quality content, making it increasingly difficult to discern what is true. News organizations must be a reliable alternative amid this confusion."
As his 40-minute address concluded, the audience of over 1,300 journalists responded with applause. Sulzberger's message about the anxieties and challenges surrounding the future of journalism in the AI era, and the need to uphold the value of original reporting, resonated with journalists from around the world. He ended by stating, "The future of our news organizations and the health of the public square depend on how we respond now."
* This article has been translated by AI.
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