Politico's Owner Forces Flawed AI on Journalists, Sparking Union Pushback
Axel Springer, the German company behind Politico and Europe's largest publisher, is pushing AI-generated content onto its political news site—and the journalists aren’t happy. The union representing Politico and E&E News reporters, the PEN Guild, has taken management to arbitration for violating their contract by deploying problematic AI tools.
AI Debut at a Critical Moment
Last year, during the Democratic National Convention, Politico’s homepage suddenly featured an AI "live summary" of the event’s news. Editorial staff were reportedly given only an hour’s notice before this major change went live. The reaction? Confusion and frustration.
Journalists quickly found the AI-generated content riddled with errors. It invented quotes, misspelled names, and used language that broke Politico’s editorial standards, including terms like “illegal immigrant” and “criminal migrants.” Even more concerning, these mistakes were removed without proper editorial corrections, another breach of their standards.
Contract Violations and Editorial Concerns
The PEN Guild points out that Politico’s management ignored contract terms requiring a 60-day notice before rolling out AI products that substantially affect journalists’ work. Introducing an AI feature on the front page during one of the most important political events in years, without proper warning or editorial oversight, was a serious misstep.
Ariel Wittenberg, chair of the PEN Guild, highlighted the insult felt by journalists who saw their expertise sidelined by unreliable AI content on such a critical platform.
Continued Issues with AI Tools
The problems didn’t end there. In March, Politico launched an AI-driven service called "Policy Intelligence Assistance," which generates reports based on the site’s articles. This tool also produced glaring mistakes. For instance, when asked about "The Impact of President Biden's Oil Policies," it erroneously detailed policies from the Trump administration instead.
Axel Springer's Heavy-Handed AI Mandate
Days after the PEN Guild filed for arbitration, Axel Springer CEO Mathias Döpfner announced that all employees must use AI tools, shifting the company "all-in" on AI even as it cut over 20% of staff at Business Insider.
Döpfner's decree leaves no room for opting out: employees must explain only if they don’t use AI. This tone-deaf mandate ignores the union’s contract and the legitimate concerns of the journalists.
Union Pushback: “Not Without Our Say-So”
The PEN Guild stands firm. Journalists deserve a voice when technology impacts their work conditions and livelihoods. The union contract exists to protect these rights, and the PEN Guild is ready to enforce it.
As Wittenberg put it, the violation of the agreement is disappointing, but having a contract allows them to defend their members, uphold editorial standards, and protect readers.
What Writers Should Take Away
- AI tools can’t replace the judgment and standards professional writers bring to the table.
- Contracts and unions remain critical for protecting journalists’ rights in the face of new technology.
- Rapid, unvetted AI deployment risks damaging both content quality and trust with readers.
- Writers should stay informed about AI’s impact on their jobs and advocate for clear policies and protections.
For those interested in learning how to work effectively with AI tools while maintaining control over content quality, exploring dedicated courses on AI for writers can be valuable. Resources like Complete AI Training’s copywriting AI tools offer practical guidance on integrating AI without losing editorial control.
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