The Society of Professional Journalists has a new Code of Ethics.

It is the first update in 12 years.

The code is 100 years old.

It has been changed only six times.

The new draft has 967 words.

That is 73 words more than the current code.

The main reason for the update is artificial intelligence.

It is growing fast.

Committee leaders are Dan Axelrod and Chris Roberts.

They say AI can save news groups money.

But AI can also cause trouble if people use it badly.

The draft does not say "AI."

It says "tools and technologies."

So the code stays useful as technology changes.

Another issue is journalism.

It is changing.

Many independent "creator journalists" now work outside newsrooms.

A Pew study shows that one-third of journalists were freelance or self-employed in 2023.

The code is still voluntary.

No one can force it.

The draft changes one old line.

The old line was "Give voice to the voiceless."

The new line is about helping people with less power.

Committee member Eric Deggans said the old line was wrong.

It said some groups had no voice.

The draft will get a vote in October.

SPJ President Chris Vaccaro said the code still matters.

The industry is changing, but the code is important.