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Article Summary

A new enterprise agreement between Private Media and the Media, Entertainment & Arts Alliance, approved by the Fair Work Commission in December 2025, restricts the use of AI in editorial work. The agreement mandates human oversight, limits replacement of employees with AI, and requires workforce consultation before implementing AI governance frameworks.

In a development reflecting growing scrutiny around the workplace use of Artificial Intelligence (AI), a new enterprise agreement (Agreement) between Private Media and the Media, Entertainment & Arts Alliance (MEAA) has introduced explicit restrictions on the use of AI in editorial work and formal consultation obligations with journalists ahead of any implementation of AI tools.

The Agreement has been described as an industry first for its approach to technology governance in media workplaces and may be a sign of things to come for the use of AI across other businesses that increasingly use AI for both content creation and other work.

Enterprise agreement mandates human oversight of AI

The Agreement, approved by the Fair Work Commission in December 2025, expressly provides that AI may not be used to replace human editorial employees. Any output that is generated with the assistance of AI must be overseen and signed off by a human editorial staff member.

The Agreement also requires that:

  1. AI use cannot undermine employees’ ability to comply with the MEAA Code of Ethics; and
  2. The company must disclose its use of AI except where the use is trivial or immaterial (for example basic spell checking or routine graphics editing).

Additionally, before an AI code of conduct (AI Code) is implemented, the company must consult with its editorial workforce on that AI Code, and employees must likewise be consulted about any proposed changes to the AI Code after implementation. These provisions formalise workforce engagement around the introduction and ongoing governance of AI technology in editorial processes.

Private Media’s Chief Executive has emphasised that while AI will be part of the company’s future operations, it should be used responsibly, with human oversight, and not purely as a cost-cutting device.

Implications for employers using AI in the workplace

The Agreement reflects increasing industrial, regulatory and community scrutiny around the use of AI in the workplace, particularly in roles involving professional judgement, ethics and public interest responsibilities.

Although the Agreement currently applies only to a limited group of editorial employees, it may influence broader expectations across other sectors where AI tools are used in similar contexts. In particular, it highlights a growing emphasis on consultation, transparency and the preservation of human oversight where AI is introduced into core work functions.

Employers considering the adoption or expansion of AI technologies should carefully consider whether existing policies, employment agreements and enterprise agreements adequately address ethical safeguards, workforce consultation and the role of human oversight. These considerations are increasingly shaping workforce expectations.

If you would like assistance reviewing AI policies, employment arrangements or enterprise bargaining provisions, please contact our workplace team.

For further information on this alert, contact Director Danny Clifford.

The assistance of Lawyer Melanie Sharpe in the research for this article is gratefully acknowledged.