Reach group chapel statement on use of AI
A motion by the Reach NUJ group chapel has expressed alarm over the company's use of artificial intelligence.
The motion was passed unanimously after the company announced an overhaul of its sports coverage and major redundancies across its national and local titles.
The Reach NUJ group chapel said:
This group chapel is alarmed that the chief executive spoke of the need to accelerate the use of AI in the business in the same week that major redundancies have been proposed across the sports teams. Experience shows that the only way in which the company can meet its demanding audience targets with a threadbare workforce is by using generative AI to compensate for falling headcount. This is unacceptable and poses significant risks to Reach's journalistic reputation and integrity - and in consequence, that of hundreds of its journalists too.
While the group chapel is not opposed in principle to the use of AI in the newsroom, the way generative AI has been used to mitigate the lost output of hundreds of journalists is incompatible with the company's stated aim of providing value to audiences. The group chapel seeks urgent, strategic talks with the company to determine how AI can be productively but fairly used in newsrooms. This would collaboratively analyse what impact is being made on editorial job viability rather than a one-sided race to simply reduce labour costs that fails to take account of the massive cost risks arising from any loss of reputation.
This is offered in constructive spirit to avoid the shock and potential damage to the company from the new vision for sport currently under consultation. The group chapel will carefully consider the company’s response before discussing any other options with members.