New York Times researchers document AI search engine used by more than 100 reporters

New York Times researchers say more than 100 journalists used an AI search engine to investigate files concerning Jeffrey Epstein, and that it contributed to at least 20 published stories. The researchers describe the deployment in a preprint. The system turned reporters' questions into database queries spanning the Epstein releases, the Times archive and related news headlines. It returned answers with citations for reporters to check. A separate method matched duplicate text and images to help surface material the newsroom had not already seen. The paper describes use in one newsroom rather than a broader deployment.