As the Council of the EU is expected to vote on the AI Act on 2 February 2024, the European Federation of Journalists (EFJ) urges the EU Member States to reach a long-awaited political agreement on this important text for journalism. The media reported that Germany and France were still blocking several provisions just a few days before the vote, suggesting that negotiations are not yet completely concluded. They fear that this regulation will subject their startups to increased scrutiny related to foundation models. In Germany, the coalition government could withhold its backing for the law. With an internal consultation…

For an innovation- and creator-friendly AI Act: Europe’s creative community urges EU policymakers to put transparency back at the heart of the EU AI Act We represent the collective voice of hundreds of thousands of writers, translators, performers, composers, songwriters, screen directors, screenwriters, visual artists, journalists, and other creative workers whose human artistry lies at the core of the creativity that our societies cherish and enjoy on a daily basis. As the AI Act is entering into the final round of negotiations, we urge all policy makers to prioritise maximum transparency on training data and artificially generated content to provide…

The European Federation of Journalists (EFJ) is one of the signatories of the Paris Charter on AI and Journalism. The first of its kind, this charter defines ethics and principles that journalists, newsrooms and media outlets around the world will be able to appropriate and apply in their work with artificial intelligence. It was created by a commission initiated by Reporters Without Borders (RSF) and chaired by journalist and Nobel Peace Prize laureate Maria Ressa. On November 10th, 2023, Reporters Without Borders (RSF) and 16 partner organisations, including the EFJ, published the Paris Charter on AI and Journalism, on the…

The European Federation of Journalists (EFJ) today joined authors, performers and other creative workers and artists, representing several hundred thousand workers, in urging the European Union institutions to agree on a balanced regulation that not only forwards the advancement of AI technologies but also promotes original human creativity. As the negotiation of the AI Act enters its final “trilogue” stage, the undersigned organisations reiterate their position and insist on the absolute need for a human-centric approach to regulating generative AI in a way that respects fundamental rights. This approach should recognise, secure and enforce the right to control the use…

The European Federation of Journalists (EFJ) organised on 18-19 September 2023, together with the Austrian journalist’s union GPA, a meeting with its Expert Group members. Around 40 journalists and trade unionists from 25 European countries discussed in Vienna the challenges and opportunities posed by Artificial Intelligence (AI) in journalism, and its implications for ethics, jobs and authors’ rights. “AI in journalism doesn’t mean AI does journalism.” This is the approach taken by the Austrian news agency APA, which some of the EFJ Expert Group members visited. APA has been using automated processes since 2019 for elections, then for coverage of…

Journalists and media outlets are adapting their practices to integrate more and more automated processes into their workflows. As the challenge posed by Artificial Intelligence (AI) on journalism is immense, the European Federation of Journalists (EFJ) joined the international committee to develop a charter aimed at regulating the use of AI in media, an initiative launched by Reporters without Borders (RSF). First results are expected before the end of the year 2023. “We certainly share the same urgency of the journalists, organisations, academics and other media stakeholders to react to the opportunities and risks posed by AI technologies. While algorithms…