Target: VTDigger CEO Sky Barsch, Editor-in-Chief Geeta Anand, and the Board Members of the Vermont Journalism Trust

We, the journalists of VTDigger, have been at the bargaining table for a year — and are close to securing a more equitable and transparent contract. But a critical sticking point remains: artificial intelligence, and the uncertainties it presents to the future of our local newsroom.

VTDigger management wants to implement and experiment with AI as they wish. We, on the other hand, want journalists to have a say over how these new technologies are used in our jobs and in our workplace.

And we’re not alone. Last month, in solidarity with journalists from 15 unionized nonprofit newsrooms across the country, we published an open letter demanding our news industry leaders agree to common-sense guardrails around the use of AI.

Unfortunately, our management refused to consider these sensible protections. Instead, as consolation, they offered slightly longer notice if they one day choose to replace one of our jobs with AI.

We know that readers and small-donors also prefer human journalists – not unreliable and biased AI news. So, tell VTDigger management to work with us, not without us, on the ways AI is implemented in our newsroom. At stake is not only our own job security but the integrity of our local, mission-driven journalism.

News, Not Slop!