This week, hundreds of leading publishers — including The New York Times, The Washington Post, The Guardian, and Vox Media. Have united to launch a bold new ad campaign urging U.S. lawmakers to step in and protect original content from being exploited by artificial intelligence. Dubbed “Support Responsible AI,” the campaign is being spearheaded by the News/Media Alliance. A trade association representing thousands of media organizations.
The ads, which are appearing both in print and online, carry urgent messages like “Stop AI Theft,” “AI Steals From You Too,” and “Keep Watch on AI.” Each one ends with a clear call to action: “Stealing is un-American. Tell Washington to make Big Tech pay for the content it takes.”
The campaign arrives on the heels of recent lobbying efforts by OpenAI and Google. Who have written letters to U.S. policymakers asking for permission to train AI models on copyrighted content. An issue that has stirred mounting concern among publishers, journalists, and creators.
Each ad includes a QR code and link to the Support Responsible AI website. Which encourages readers to contact their representatives and demand legislative action. The initiative seeks mandatory compensation for writers, artists, and journalists whose content is used to train AI systems. Along with required attribution for any AI-generated outputs that rely on their work.
“Right now, Big Tech and AI companies are using publishers’ own content against them. Taking it without authorization or compensation to power AI products that pull advertising and subscription revenue away from the original creators,” said Danielle Coffey, President and CEO of the News/Media Alliance. “We’re not anti-AI — many media outlets and creators use AI tools themselves. But we are calling for a balanced and ethical ecosystem where AI is built responsibly.”
This isn’t the first time the publishing industry has gone public with its frustrations. Earlier this year, UK newspapers staged a similar campaign, plastering their front pages with the slogan “MAKE IT FAIR”. To protest the use of copyrighted journalism in AI training data without compensation or consent.
Alongside The Times, Guardian, and Vox Media, the current U.S. campaign includes support from The Atlantic, Seattle Times, Tampa Bay Times, Politico owner Axel Springer, and Condé Nast, which publishes Wired and other major titles.
As AI technologies rapidly reshape the digital content economy, media organizations are demanding a clearer legal framework — one that protects intellectual property, ensures fair compensation, and fosters ethical AI development rather than unchecked exploitation.
