As artificial intelligence becomes more integrated into both newsroom workflows and business operations, media companies are under increasing pressure to be transparent about how these tools are being used. Recent research shows that most audiences expect clear disclosure when AI plays a role in media production. To maintain trust and credibility, publishers must follow ethical best practices for implementing AI and communicate openly about its use across their organizations.

Here are examples of how several media companies are integrating ethical AI best practices into their operations to build trust and accountability with audiences and advertisers.

Transparency and disclosures

As readers become more aware—and skeptical—of AI’s role in content production, they expect transparency about where and how AI is involved. Developing a disclosure strategy helps audiences better understand the context around AI’s role in producing content.

The Associated Press publicly shares its AI standards and policies and discloses its intent to use AI to improve the quality of its work, while adhering to strict standards for accuracy. The policy also highlights the importance of human oversight in all aspects of content production.

USA Today adds disclosures when AI is used to write summaries or “Key Points” at the top of select articles. The disclosures state that the content was AI-generated and reviewed by a journalist before publishing. USA Today also includes a link to the publication’s ethical conduct policy with the disclosure.

Bias, balance, and fairness

AI models train on a variety of online content. If biases exist in these sources, these biases could be included in AI-generated output. Media companies are creating ways to identify and minimize bias and making these processes public.

The Guardian developed a statement to share how it’s minimizing bias including a working group to discuss ways to prevent bias and develop company-wide policies. The statement also explains how it integrates human oversight into its AI processes.

National Public Radio (NPR) added a special section on AI to its ethics handbook to encourage journalists to identify and counter bias inherent in these tools. The section also emphasizes the importance of providing transparency about how AI is used and discussing questionable output with editors.

Training and education

As AI technologies and best practices evolve, regular training ensures teams stay informed and continue to uphold ethical standards.

Radio-Canada launched a comprehensive AI literacy program to provide a foundation for its staff’s implementation and understanding of AI. The program includes a foundational training session to provide an overview of AI concepts and ethical considerations as well as follow-up workshops focused on practical applications. The company also developed a cross-functional group that includes developers, analysts and journalists to meet bi-weekly to discuss AI developments and share ongoing projects. Since its inception, more than 100 staff members have participated in the training program.

The New York Times implemented a training program that outlines how AI should be used and includes editorial guidelines, use cases and sample prompts. The company also developed an internal team to explore how AI can be applied to newsroom processes.

AI ethics and the broader media ecosystem

Marketers and advertisers are also placing greater focus on ethical standards. The Institute for Advertising Ethics recently released its AI Ethics Toolkit, designed to help buyers navigate the responsible use of AI.

Media organizations can’t slow their pace of innovation. They need to experiment with and implement technologies while ensuring that they keep audience trust at the forefront. The growing focus on ethics across the broader ecosystem signals that publishers who adopt transparent, responsible AI practices will not only build audience trust but also strengthen their position with advertisers seeking accountable media partners.