This text was originally published on the presscouncils.eu website, part of the European “Media Councils in the Digital Age” project. With the rapid transformation of Generative AI, newsrooms face new challenges and benchmarks when it comes to adhering to deontological standards. While there is no single ethical standard on the implementation of AI in journalism, various media councils have established guidelines, or even added chapters on it in their ethical codes. The use of AI needs to be regulated accordingly, so as to empower journalists to be quicker, more efficient and more innovative, rather than substituting for their absence. That’s…

On 23 July 2024, a coalition of 13 international and European organisations representing journalists, creators, authors, artists, performers and creative workers, including the European Federation of Journalists (EFJ), sent a letter to newly elected Members of the European Parliament on the impact of Artificial Intelligence on the European creative community. Find the letter below. Brussels, 23 July 2024 Dear Member of the European Parliament, We are writing to you on behalf of a coalition of organisations representing the collective voice of hundreds of thousands of writers, translators, performers, composers, songwriters, screen directors, screenwriters, visual artists, journalists, and other creative workers.…

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…