As reported by Semafor, The New York Times is moving forward with AI integration across its editing and product teams. It is introducing new internal tools to assist with tasks like writing SEO-friendly headlines, generating social media copy, and coding.

In a message to staff, the company announced AI training for newsroom employees and the launch of an in-house AI tool called Echo, designed to summarize articles, briefings, and interactives. The Times also shared detailed editorial guidelines on AI usage outlining permissible applications and ethical concerns.

The company emphasized that generative AI could enhance journalistic capabilities by aiding in research, content summarization, and audience engagement.

Approved AI tools for internal use include GitHub Copilot for coding, Google’s Vertex AI for product development, Amazon AI tools, and OpenAI’s non-ChatGPT API—though access to the latter requires legal approval.

Journalists have been encouraged to use AI for brainstorming interview questions, analyzing documents, and creating audience engagement materials such as quote cards, news quizzes, and FAQs.

However, strict limitations remain — staff cannot use AI to draft or significantly revise articles, input copyrighted materials, bypass paywalls, or publish AI-generated images or videos unless clearly labeled. The update also warned that improper use of unapproved AI tools could compromise source protection.