When we attribute a statement, position, or quote to a cited source, that material comes from direct contact with interviews, transcripts, published statements, or documents reviewed by the reporter. Artificial intelligence tools should not be used to generate, extract, or summarize material attributed to a cited source, such as a direct quote, paraphrase, or characterization of someone’s views.
We do not publish claims based solely on AI-generated summaries, and reporters may not present any material as “peer-reviewed” unless they have directly researched it.
Any author who uses AI tools during story submission must disclose that use to their editors, and authors are fully responsible for their content.
Images, audio and videos
Our visual content, including images, illustrations and videos, is produced by our editorial and art teams or sourced from photography services and wire providers. Our creative team may use artificial intelligence tools to produce certain visuals, but creative direction and editorial judgment is handled by a human.
We do not publish AI-generated images, audio or videos as authentic documentation of real events. We do not alter documentary media in a way that changes its meaning. Standard production work such as color correction, cropping and contrast adjustments is fine.
When synthetic media is used in the context of AI-related reporting, it will be clearly identified as AI-generated and this disclosure will be placed as close to the material as possible.
Responsibility is non-negotiable
Anyone using AI tools in the editorial workflow is ultimately responsible for the accuracy and integrity of the work. This responsibility cannot be delegated to colleagues, editors, or the tools themselves. More broadly, maintaining the standards in this policy is a shared commitment throughout our editorial work.
Once AI tools are available, these standards will govern our editorial work. When violations occur, we take action. We publish this reader-friendly version because our readers deserve to see the rules we adhere to, not just believe they exist.
This policy was last updated on April 22, 2026.
