Editoral AI Usage Policy

Acme News is committed to journalistic integrity, accuracy, and transparency. We utilize artificial intelligence (AI) tools to assist with research, drafting, style verification, and data analysis while ensuring that editorial decisions remain in the hands of human journalists. This policy outlines how Acme News integrates AI into its workflow, the ethical and editorial guidelines we follow, and the limitations of AI-assisted journalism.

AI is used at Acme News as a tool to enhance efficiency, accuracy, and research capabilities. Specifically, we use AI in the following ways:

1. Draft Assistance – AI may assist in generating outlines, initial drafts of articles, summaries, and headlines. All AI-generated drafts undergo human review, revision, and approval before publication.
   
   
2. Style and Grammar Checking – AI tools help verify spelling, grammar, and adherence to AP style and Acme News' editorial guidelines, ensuring clarity, readability, and proper formatting.
   
   
3. Research and Data Analysis – AI is used to analyze datasets, summarize reports, and assist in investigative research. Any time AI tools are used for research, the AI is instructed to provide links to specific and verifiable sources that are checked by members of the news team. 
   
   
4. Content Optimization – AI may assist in SEO-related tasks, readability improvements, and audience engagement analysis.
   
   
5. Transcription and Translation – AI tools may be used to transcribe interviews, meetings, and public statements, as well as to assist in language translation.
   
   
6. Photo / Video Editing - AI tools may be used in the process of editing photos and or videos. This includes using features built into software such as Photoshop for noise removal and object selection. Edits made to photos or video, or when AI is used to create content, the final product must still adhere to Acme News Reporting Policy. 
   
   
7. Assist the News Team - The news team may use AI in other ways such as to review emails, news tips, and survey submissions to request summaries of information, or to search through large documents and data sets.

Acme News recognizes the potential risks of AI in journalism and maintains strict editorial oversight. AI tools cannot be used in the following ways:

1. No AI-Generated Final Content – AI-generated text, summaries, or headlines are never published without human revision and editorial approval.
   
   
2. No AI-Generated Images or Deepfakes for Reporting – AI-generated visuals, including deepfake-style images or videos, are not used in news reporting unless explicitly labeled as AI-generated and for illustrative purposes only.
   
   
3. No AI for Fabricating Information – AI is not used to generate quotes, statistics, or any information that has not been independently verified by a human journalist.
   
   
4. No AI in Editorial Decision-Making – AI does not determine newsworthiness, editorial priorities, or the framing of stories. All decisions regarding content, angles, and narratives are made by Acme News journalists and editors.
   
   
5. No AI to Mimic or Impersonate Sources – AI is never used to generate text, audio, or images that impersonate real individuals, including public figures, unless explicitly stated for analysis or satire.

To ensure journalistic integrity, Acme News follows these editorial guidelines regarding AI usage:

• AI-Assisted Content Review – Any AI-generated draft, summary, or research aid must be thoroughly reviewed and fact-checked by an editor before being published.
  
  
• Source Verification – AI tools may assist in data gathering, but human journalists are responsible for verifying sources, checking for bias, and ensuring information is accurate.
  
  
• Disclosure of AI Usage – If an article or report significantly benefits from AI assistance (such as data analysis or large-scale research synthesis), a disclosure statement may be included.
  
  
• Continuous Monitoring – AI tools used in journalism evolve rapidly. Acme News will periodically review and update its AI policy to ensure compliance with best practices and ethical standards.

Acme News remains committed to truth, transparency, and accountability. AI is a tool to support, not replace, the critical role of human journalists. Every article, investigation, and report is guided by journalistic ethics and our responsibility to deliver accurate and reliable news.

For questions about our AI policy, please contact our editorial team at [email protected]