AI Policy
Artificial Intelligence Policy for The Washington Times
At The Washington Times, we understand that the rapid advancement of artificial intelligence (AI) in journalism may raise concerns among our valued readers. We hear your apprehensions about the potential impact on the quality, authenticity and human touch in news reporting. Rest assured, your trust is our most prized asset. As we cautiously explore the possibilities AI offers in enhancing our journalism, we commit to maintaining the highest standards of integrity, accuracy and transparency. We see this new era as an opportunity to strengthen our bond with you, our readers, and we invite your input as we navigate this evolving landscape.
Core Principles
1. Editorial Oversight: All AI-assisted content will be subject to rigorous review by our experienced team of editors and newsroom administrators. Human judgment remains paramount in our editorial process.
2. Transparency: We will clearly disclose the use of AI in our content creation and distribution processes to our audience.
3. Accuracy and Verification: All AI-generated or AI-assisted content must meet the same high standards of accuracy and fact-checking as our traditional content.
4. Ethical Use: We commit to using AI in ways that align with our journalistic values and do not deceive or manipulate our audience.
5. Privacy and Data Protection: We will safeguard the privacy of our sources, staff, and audience when using AI technologies.
6. Innovation and Learning: We will continually explore and evaluate new AI technologies to improve our journalism while maintaining our ethical standards.
Approved Uses of AI in Journalism
1. Research and Data Analysis: AI tools may be used to assist in research, data mining, and analysis of large datasets.
2. Content Summarization: AI may be used to summarize internal long-form content, research papers, or extensive discussions, always subject to human review.
3. Language Translation: AI translation tools may be used to assist in multilingual reporting, with human verification.
4. Transcription: AI transcription services may be used to convert audio to text, with human review for accuracy.
5. Headline and Social Media Copy Generation: AI may suggest headlines or social media content, all subject to human editorial approval.
6. Fact-Checking Assistance: AI tools may be used to support fact-checking processes, but not as the sole verification method.
Prohibited Uses of AI in Journalism
1. Direct Content Creation: AI will not be used to autonomously generate news articles, opinion pieces or other editorial content. Any content created with the assistance of AI will be clearly labeled.
2. Image or Video Manipulation: We prohibit the use of AI to create, alter, or manipulate images or videos in ways that could mislead our audience.
3. Source Fabrication: AI will never be used to create fictional sources or quotes.
4. Automated Decision Making: Editorial decisions will not be determined by AI algorithms.
Disclosure and Transparency
1. We will clearly label any content that has been created with AI assistance.
2. Our website will maintain an easily accessible page explaining our AI use policies to our audience.
3. We will regularly update our audience on new AI tools or techniques we adopt in our newsroom.
Training and Development
1. All employees will be trained on the proper/ethical use of generative AI chatbots in the workplace
2. All journalists and editors will receive ongoing training on the ethical use of AI in journalism.
3. We will foster a culture of open discussion about AI use and its implications within our newsroom.
Newsroom Oversight and Review
1. We will establish an AI Ethics Newsroom Committee to oversee the implementation of the Al Journalism policy and address emerging ethical concerns related to The Washington Times content and use in the newsroom.
2. The Newsroom Al policy will be reviewed and updated regularly to reflect advancements in AI technology and evolving ethical considerations in Journalism.
A Promise To Our Readers
We are committed to harnessing the power of AI to enhance our journalism while maintaining the highest standards of accuracy, ethics, and transparency. Through careful oversight, continuous learning, and a commitment to our core journalistic values, we aim to lead in the responsible use of AI in news media.
