A.I. Sweeps Through Newsrooms, but Is It a Journalist or a Tool? (New York Times, November 7, 2025)

Newsroom unions have channeled many journalists’ concerns about A.I.’s replacing them. The NewsGuild, a labor union for journalists, has worked on 48 collective bargaining agreements since late 2023 involving A.I. in some way, whether around job security or guardrails for its use, said Jon Schleuss, the organization’s president.

“We actually need something that’s legally enforceable since there are no regulations on it, but you can regulate it through collective bargaining,” Mr. Schleuss said.

In one of the first tests of those protections, unionized journalists at Politico and its sister publication, E&E News, accused the company of violating their contract by using A.I.-generated live coverage without notifying the union and using A.I. to build reports for subscribers. The complaint is now in arbitration. A Politico spokeswoman declined to comment.

Business Insider attempts AI reporter, human journalists push back (The NewsGuild, November 7, 2025)

Last week Business Insider quietly rolled out an artificially intelligent “author” and journalists got loud. The company, which is controlled by Axel Springer in Germany, launched a byline page for “Business Insider AI” with a description that the “byline uses generative AI tools to draft news stories so we can bring readers more information, more quickly.”

The union AI subcommittee at Business Insider, which is part of The NewsGuild of New York, quickly activated and started having conversations across the newsroom. They made a flyer and dropped a graphic in person and on social media. 

Business Insider reportedly tells journalists they can use AI to draft stories (The Verge, September 17, 2025)

Business Insider has been quick to embrace AI in support of its business. It appointed an AI newsroom lead and implemented an array of initiatives like an AI search tool, for example, and parent company Axel Springer inked licensing deals with tech companies like OpenAI and Microsoft.

Wired and Business Insider remove articles by AI-generated ‘freelancer’ (The Guardian, August 21, 2025)

Multiple news organisations have taken down articles written by an alleged freelance journalist that now appear to have been generated by AI.

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Wired published a story titled “They Fell in Love Playing Minecraft. Then the Game Became Their Wedding Venue” in May. A few weeks later, the outlet took down the story, stating in an editor’s note: “After an additional review of the article … Wired editorial leadership has determined this article does not meet our editorial standards.”

Politico’s Newsroom Is Starting a Legal Battle With Management Over AI (WIRED, May 22, 2025)

Last year, Politico began publishing AI-generated live news summaries during big political events like the Democratic National Convention and the US vice presidential debates. This March, it debuted a suite of AI tools called Policy Intelligence Assistance for paying subscribers, which were built in partnership with the Y Combinator-backed startup Capitol AI. Politico executive Rachel Loeffler described the initiative at the time as “seamlessly integrating generative AI with our unmatched policy expertise.”

Politico union members, however, allege these tools violated their contract in several ways, and are taking the dispute to arbitration this July. “The company is required to give us 60 days notice of any use of new technology that will materially and substantively impact bargaining unit job duties,” says PEN union chair and E&E public health reporter Ariel Wittenberg. The union claims that it was given neither notice nor an opportunity to bargain in good faith over Politico’s AI rollout, and that the tools do work that would ordinarily be done by human staff.

Meet AdVon, the AI-Powered Content Monster Infecting the Media Industry (Futurism, May 8, 2024)

Or consider an AdVon review of a microwave oven published in South Carolina’s Rock Hill Herald, which made a similarly peculiar error. The first portion of the article is indeed about microwaves, but then inexplicably changes gears to conventional ovens, with no explanation for the shift. 

In the FAQ — remember, the piece is titled “Amazon Basics Microwave Review” — it even assures readers that “yes, you can use aluminum foil in your oven.”

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After the Gannett staff called out AdVon’s work at USA Today — allegations that garnered scrutiny everywhere from the Washington Post to the New York Times — the fictional names on the company’s reviews started disappearing. They were replaced with the names of people who did seem to be real — and who, we noticed, frequently had close personal ties to AdVon’s CEO, a serial media entrepreneur named Ben Faw. 

Did A.I. Write Product Reviews? Gannett Says No. (New York Times, October 27, 2023)

One of those programs, Winston AI, found that three articles had a “zero percent human score,” indicating that they, most likely, were not written by a human, according to the union. Another had a 1 percent human score.

One of the articles with a zero percent human score was a recommendation for the best portable trampoline.

“Searching for the best portable trampoline can be daunting,” the review said. “Luckily, this buying guide features all the essential factors to consider while shopping. Regularly using a trampoline can help improve balance, coordination, and agility.”

Mysterious bylines appeared on a USA Today site. Did these writers exist? (Washington Post, October 26, 2023)

“It’s gobbledygook compared to the stuff that we put out on a daily basis,” he said. “None of these robots tested any of these products.”

The Reviewed controversy comes as many media organizations ramp up product review sites, such as the New York Times-owned Wirecutter, which get a cut on sales made through online retailers like Amazon that their stories link to. (Amazon founder Jeff Bezos owns The Washington Post. Interim CEO Patty Stonesifer sits on Amazon’s board.)

But Gannett insists the articles weren’t AI-generated. In a statement to The Post, a spokesperson said the articles — many of which have now been deleted — were created through a deal with a marketing firm to generate paid search-engine traffic. While Gannett concedes the original articles “did not meet our affiliate standards,” officials deny they were written by AI.