Nine's publishing division told to increase AI use, with management monitoring adoption
Nine Entertainment's editorial staff across The Sydney Morning Herald, The Age, and the Australian Financial Review were told this week to increase their use of AI tools. Managing director of publishing Tory Maguire delivered the message at an all-staff meeting on Wednesday, saying the company's board expected all staff to be using AI.
Maguire said the publishing division was underperforming in AI adoption and that management would monitor staff usage to ensure compliance.
What this means for newsroom practice
The directive signals a shift in how major Australian newsrooms approach editorial work. Nine's three flagship publications collectively reach millions of readers, and the push suggests AI integration is now a business expectation rather than an optional tool.
For journalists and editors, this raises practical questions about which tasks warrant AI assistance and how to maintain editorial standards while meeting adoption targets. AI for Writers resources can help staff understand where these tools fit into reporting and editing workflows.
Effective use of AI in newsrooms typically requires more than access to tools-it requires understanding how to ask the right questions. Prompt Engineering skills are increasingly relevant for journalists looking to extract useful output from AI systems.
The broader context
Media organizations globally are grappling with how to integrate AI into editorial processes. Nine's explicit monitoring of usage suggests the company views AI adoption as a measurable performance metric, not just an available option.
The announcement comes as newsrooms balance efficiency gains against concerns about editorial independence and quality control.
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