A bill has been introduced in the New York State Assembly that would require disclosure of generative AI used in news.
In recent years, generative AI has been used in a wide range of industries, but there are concerns in the news industry that generative AI is causing a proliferation of low-quality and misleading news. On February 9, 2026, local time, a bill was introduced to the New York State Assembly that would require news organizations to label generated AI content and have it reviewed by humans before publication.
Fahy, Rozic Introduce NY FAIR NEWS Act to Protect Journalists and the Public from Artificial Intelligence Jeopardizing News Reporting | NYSenate.gov
A new bill in New York would require disclaimers on AI-generated news content | Nieman Journalism Lab
https://www.niemanlab.org/2026/02/a-new-bill-in-new-york-would-require-disclaimers-on-ai-generated-news-content/
On February 9, New York State Senator Patricia Fahy and Representative Nilly Rozik introduced a bill called the 'New York State Basic AI Requirements for News (NY FAIR News Act)' in the Senate ( S8451 ) and Assembly ( A8962A ), respectively.
The NY FAIR News Act requires that any news content published using AI must include a statement indicating that AI was used. It also requires news organizations and journalists operating in New York State to fully disclose how and when AI is used in the workplace, and requires that all articles, audio, video, and images generated by AI be reviewed by a human employee with editorial authority before publication. It also requires news organizations to implement safeguards to protect journalists' sources and confidential materials from access by AI.
'Journalism is perhaps one of the industries most at risk from the use of AI, which will result in an erosion of public trust and confidence in accurate news reporting across industries,' Fay said in a statement. 'As AI continues to transform our daily lives and careers across industries, more than 76% of Americans are concerned that AI will steal and replicate journalism and local news. I am proud to introduce the NY FAIR NEWS Act alongside Assemblyman Rosiek to protect the public's trust in the reporting, the news they see every day, and the journalists who do the work.'
'As the heart of the news industry, New York has a strong interest in protecting journalism and the workers who create it,' Rosiek said in a statement. 'The NY FAIR NEWS Act will promote journalistic integrity and ensure full disclosure of AI to journalists, workers, and the public.'
Nieman Lab, a journalism-related online media outlet, points out that 'Notably, the bill strengthens labor protections for news workers, including restrictions on firing journalists and reducing their workload, wages, and benefits due to the use of generative AI.'
The NY FAIR NEWS Act has broad industry support, including from the American Federation of Labor-Congress of Industrial Organizations (AFL-CIO) , the Writers Guild of America East (WGAE) , the Screen Actors Guild-American Federation of Television and Radio Artists (SAG-AFTRA) , the Directors Guild of America (DGA) , and the NewsGuild of New York , a labor union representing journalists.
'As AI technologies continue to rapidly evolve, we need stronger safeguards to protect workers and ensure oversight and transparency in their use,' said Mario Cilento, president of the New York State AFL-CIO. 'The NY FAIR NEWS Act will uphold the credibility of journalists, protect the integrity of reporting, and strengthen public trust. These common-sense guardrails are essential to a healthy democracy.'
'Journalists are held to ethical and professional standards, hold power accountable, and document the richness of human expression. We want readers to trust our work,' said Susan DeCarava, president of the NewsGuild of New York. 'Meanwhile, media executives believe they can avoid accountability by skirting AI standards and avoiding transparency. This is why the unethical and covert use of generative AI in the media poses such a significant threat to journalism and the American democratic process.'
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