The Australian arm of Rupert Murdoch’s empire introduces a new AI tool designed to support journalists.
News Corp Australia has officially launched NewsGPT, a proprietary generative AI tool designed to support its staff rather than replace them. The announcement was made via a memo from Julian Delany, the company’s chief technology officer, which was initially reported by Capital Brief. The tool aims to enhance the creative processes of journalists and streamline daily operational tasks within the organisation.
The introduction of NewsGPT has sparked discussions surrounding ethical considerations, potential bias and the need for regulatory oversight in its application. Monica Attard, head of journalism at the University of Technology Sydney and a former host of ABC Media Watch, emphasised the need for stringent enforcement of usage policies to prevent misuse. “Regardless of the LLM [large language model] being used, that’s always been the fear and the concern of media organisations,” she said.
Attard also pointed out the possibility of heightened editorial bias due to the model being trained on News Corp’s internal content. This could lead to a “closed loop of information”, potentially amplifying the existing editorial biases present within the organisation’s output. She stressed the importance of training staff on the ethical use of such AI models, asserting that reliance on internally developed mechanisms may inadequately address the risks associated with misinformation or disinformation.
The union that represents News Corp staff in Australia called for staff to be consulted about the use of their work in training generative AI models. “We will be insisting that News Corp must obtain the informed and explicit consent of journalists before their work would be used for generative AI,” a spokesperson for the MEAA told Capital Brief.
Further concerns were raised by Matthew Ricketson from Deakin University, who articulated that News Corp’s operational strategy is uniquely aggressive compared to other media outlets. He noted that this characteristic raises alarms regarding the dependency on the company’s own coverage in shaping AI output, potentially skewing the information landscape.
Delany’s memo lauded NewsGPT’s capabilities, claiming it harnesses the power of leading AI models, including ChatGPT, Google Gemini and Anthropic Claude. Despite this, the company has taken measures to limit access to certain external AI tools, including disabling Google Gemini access for staff and blocking other applications deemed unauthorised.
As part of its AI strategy, News Corp concluded a five-year agreement valued at $250 million with OpenAI, the creators of ChatGPT, to further integrate AI within its operational framework.
The memo also indicated a proactive approach to monitoring AI tool deployment, with Delany noting ongoing evaluations aimed at overseeing the use of AI applications within News Corp Australia. Previous reports indicate that the company is exploring the use of alternative transcription technologies, such as Trint, following the blockage of others like Otter.ai.
Source: Noah Wire Services
- https://www.mediaweek.com.au/news-corp-rolls-out-newsgpt-ai-tool-for-staff-in-australia/ – This article confirms the launch of NewsGPT by News Corp Australia, highlighting its integration of AI models like ChatGPT, Google Gemini, and Anthropic Claude to support journalists without replacing them.
- https://www.allaboutai.com/ai-news/newsgpt-news-corps-ai-model-aims-to-support-not-replace-journalists/ – This piece provides additional details on NewsGPT, including its role in enhancing efficiency and the concerns about editorial bias due to its training on News Corp’s content.
- https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2023/10/05/2023-21078/guidance-for-grants-and-agreements – Although not directly related to NewsGPT, this document illustrates broader regulatory efforts in managing technological advancements, which could influence AI oversight in media.
- https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC10311201/ – This article discusses the increasing reliance on digital evidence in investigations, which parallels the integration of AI tools like NewsGPT in media operations, highlighting the need for ethical considerations.
- https://www.noahwire.com – This source is mentioned as the original provider of the information about NewsGPT, though it does not directly offer corroborating content without specific article links.
Noah Fact Check Pro
The draft above was created using the information available at the time the story first
emerged. We’ve since applied our fact-checking process to the final narrative, based on the criteria listed
below. The results are intended to help you assess the credibility of the piece and highlight any areas that may
warrant further investigation.
Freshness check
Score:
9
Notes:
The narrative is recent, dated March 2025, and discusses current developments in AI technology within News Corp Australia.
Quotes check
Score:
8
Notes:
Quotes from Monica Attard and Matthew Ricketson are included, but their earliest online references could not be verified. However, the context suggests they are recent and specific to this topic.
Source reliability
Score:
8
Notes:
The narrative originates from Crikey, a reputable Australian online news outlet known for investigative journalism. However, it cites reports from other sources like Capital Brief.
Plausability check
Score:
9
Notes:
The claims about NewsGPT and its implications are plausible given the current trends in AI integration within media companies. The narrative aligns with expected developments in the field.
Overall assessment
Verdict (FAIL, OPEN, PASS): PASS
Confidence (LOW, MEDIUM, HIGH): HIGH
Summary:
The narrative is fresh, discussing recent AI developments at News Corp Australia. Quotes are included but lack verification of earliest sources. The source is generally reliable, and the claims are plausible within the context of current AI trends.
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