CBS News To Boost Severance for AI-Related Job Losses

CBS News has just finalized a new three-year collective bargaining agreement with the Writers Guild of America (WGA) East and West, which includes significant provisions for employees impacted by artificial intelligence (AI). 

The deal, ratified overwhelmingly by over 270 staff members—including writers, producers, editors, and graphic artists across New York City, Los Angeles, Chicago, and Washington, D.C.—introduces several key safeguards related to AI implementation in the newsroom.

One standout feature is the enhanced severance package for employees who lose their jobs due to AI.

Specifically, staffers replaced by generative AI will receive a severance payout increased by 50% compared to what they would get if terminated for other reasons. This measure aims to provide a financial cushion for those displaced by automation, reflecting growing concerns about AI’s role in media production.

The agreement also mandates that CBS News notify the WGA in advance before rolling out new AI systems, allowing the union to negotiate over their impact on workers. 

Additionally, the company has committed to semi-annual meetings with the guild to discuss how generative AI is being utilized in content creation, fostering transparency. Another protective clause ensures that guild members assigned to use AI under company policies will be indemnified, shielding them from potential legal or ethical fallout.

Beyond AI protections, the deal secures a 3% annual pay raise for all staff and boosts vacation time for first-year employees from one week to two. These terms echo a similar contract recently ratified with ABC News, signaling a broader push by the WGA to address AI’s encroachment into journalism while improving worker conditions. The focus on AI in these negotiations underscores its rising influence—and the unease it generates—in an industry already grappling with rapid technological change.