French Court Orders Suspension of AI Use in Media Group Over Labor Concerns
Could the legal victory concerning the implementation of artificial intelligence (AI) within the Infopro Digital media group set a precedent for other newsrooms? Two subsidiaries of the largest French professional press group were ordered on Tuesday, July 15th, by the Créteil judicial court, to “suspend the use of artificial intelligence IT tools,” according to several documents that have been reviewed. The subsidiaries in question are Groupe Moniteur (La Gazette des communes), and Groupe Industrie Services Info, GISI (L’Usine nouvelle, Libre service actualités [LSA], L’Argus de l’assurance, etc.).
The social and economic committees (CSE) of the two subsidiaries, representing approximately 200 journalists, had been requesting the opening of an information-consultation period with their respective managements since the fall of 2024. Their requests were denied, until now.
The use of AI DIGI – implemented within the intranet, the internal tool primarily facilitates audio transcription, but also assists with journalistic writing – must be paused “until the completion” of an information-consultation process with the CSE of Groupe Moniteur and GISI, according to the court decision. “It is not seriously disputable that artificial intelligence is a new technology whose deployment in the press sector is likely to affect the working conditions of its employees,” the summary order states.
The court emphasized the importance of consulting with employee representatives before implementing AI tools that could significantly impact their work. The ruling highlights the growing concerns about the potential effects of AI on journalism and the need for transparency and dialogue between employers and employees during the adoption of these technologies.
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