This policy outlines how generative artificial intelligence (AI) will be used — and not used — within WEHCO Media, Inc. and its news organizations. The policy, drawn from AP’s generative AI standards, is our guide for how reporters and editors should use generative AI, such as ChatGPT, Gemini and a growing number of other tools.
To be sustainable news organizations we must adopt and grow with new technologies. Editorial staff will be provided ongoing and mandatory training regarding the use of generative AI in the newsroom. We see AI as a tool like a spreadsheet or word processor that our reporters and editors can use to help improve efficiency and optimize our journalism. Employees are required to let supervisors know when they use AI tools.
This is a living document subject to change as more information and resources surface about how generative AI can be used for news content.
WEHCO, using generative AI to produce any original news or editorial content is prohibited. It is the responsibility of our journalists to be accountable for the accuracy and fairness of the information we share. Generative AI is an emerging technology and staff should use caution and apply editorial judgment and standards.
● Any output from a generative AI tool is to be treated as unvetted source material and reviewed by a human editor. Newsroom staff must apply their editorial judgment when considering any information for publication whether it’s provided by AI or a human source.
● We prohibit the use of AI-generated images and videos like those coming from tools such as DALL·E and MidJourney at this time. Exceptions may be permitted by the manager editor if such an image or illustration is the subject of the story.
● We prohibit staff from putting confidential or sensitive information, including source information, into AI tools unless it has already been published. AI companies employ humans who can see conversations with their bots.
● We prohibit staff from copying and pasting full articles — or the majority of an article — into free and unsecured AI tools to ensure the protection of proprietary content and prevent unintended data sharing. Copying and pasting full articles is only for paid user accounts that stipulate in the terms they will not train models with our content. Any such use should be approved by your manager/editor.
● Journalists must exercise due caution and diligence to ensure material provided by other sources is also free of AI-generated content.
● Generative AI makes it even easier for people to intentionally spread mis- and disinformation through altered words, photos, video or audio, including content that may have no signs of alteration, appearing realistic and authentic. To avoid using such content inadvertently, journalists should exercise the same caution and skepticism they would normally, including trying to identify the source of the original content, doing a reverse image search to help verify an image’s origin and checking for reports with similar content from trusted media.
● WEHCO specifically blocks both generative AI tools like ChatGPT, Gemini, and others from scraping our news sites to train their bots. If journalists have any doubt at all about the authenticity of the material, they should not use it.
Staff may use generative AI to help with the following:
● Create story outlines
● Generate search-optimized headlines
● Fact-checking content to match spellings and information in previously written content
● Streamlining page design and production
● Interview question generation and transcription
● Creating a list of potential sources to vet and contact for a story.
● Charts, tables, briefs and lists created using generative AI may be permitted as long as we provide the data used to create them and the output is confirmed to be accurate by staff.
● Content created using generative AI from any of our syndicated partners that aligns with our editorial policies and standards. This is a living document subject to change as more information and resources surface about how generative AI can be used for news content.