Artificial intelligence · Editorial responsibility
Technology may assist our journalism. It does not replace accountability.
Ireland Newspaper may use artificial intelligence and automated tools to support parts of its editorial and production workflow. Every published item remains subject to our standards for accuracy, independence, impartiality, fairness, privacy, copyright and corrections. AI output is not treated as a source, and editorial responsibility remains with identifiable people and the publisher.
Our non-negotiable rule: artificial intelligence must never be used to invent facts, quotations, sources, evidence or events. Material use of AI must be reviewed at a level proportionate to the risk, and readers must receive clear disclosure when synthetic or substantially AI-generated content could otherwise be mistaken for authentic human-created or documentary material.
Responsible use across the editorial workflow
This policy applies when generative AI, machine learning, automated translation, transcription, summarisation, image generation, data processing, recommendation systems or comparable tools contribute to material published or produced under the Ireland Newspaper brand.
AI systems can improve speed, accessibility and the handling of large amounts of information. They can also produce confident but false statements, fabricated citations, hidden bias, privacy risks, copyright concerns and realistic synthetic media. We therefore apply safeguards according to the nature of the content, the potential harm of an error and the degree of human editorial control.
Human responsibility
A named editor, authorised team member or the editorial desk must remain responsible for publication decisions and corrections.
Verification outside the model
Important claims must be checked against reliable sources, records or direct evidence independent of the AI system that produced the draft.
Transparent use
Material AI generation or manipulation is disclosed when readers need that information to understand the origin or authenticity of content.
Risk-based review
Politics, elections, crime, courts, health, finance, law, minors, allegations and public safety require enhanced editorial scrutiny.
Rights and confidentiality
AI use must respect privacy, source protection, data security, copyright, licences, contractual restrictions and applicable law.
Correction and learning
AI-assisted mistakes are corrected under the same standards as other errors and may lead to changes in prompts, tools, controls or permitted uses.
From tool-assisted draft to accountable publication
Three levels of editorial control
The category depends on what the tool does, the sensitivity of the material and the potential effect of an error. An editor may impose stricter safeguards or refuse AI use in any case.
Routine assistance
Permitted with normal editorial care
- Spelling, grammar, formatting and headline options.
- Transcription and translation checked against the original.
- Summaries of editor-supplied source material.
- Research planning, interview preparation and topic organisation.
- Metadata, tagging, accessibility text and production support.
- Data cleaning or coding reviewed by a competent person.
Enhanced review required
Use only with proportionate safeguards
- Substantial drafting of news or public-interest text.
- Politics, elections, crime, courts and public safety.
- Medical, financial, legal or scientific claims.
- Allegations affecting reputation or employment.
- Material concerning minors or vulnerable people.
- Synthetic images, audio, video, reconstructions or data analysis.
Not permitted
Uses incompatible with this policy
- Inventing or altering facts, quotes, sources or evidence.
- Publishing serious allegations without human editorial review.
- Deceptive impersonation or an unlabeled realistic deepfake.
- Creating sexualised, abusive or exploitative synthetic depictions.
- Uploading protected source material to an unauthorised service.
- Using AI to evade law, copyright, privacy, security or platform rules.
Readers should understand what they are seeing
Disclosure is determined by the nature and materiality of the AI contribution, the risk of deception, applicable law and whether a responsible person exercised human review and editorial control. A label must be clear, accessible and close enough to the content to be meaningful.
Routine editorial assistance
Basic spelling, grammar, layout, transcription, formatting, search support or other minor assistance normally does not require an article-level label when it does not materially determine the published substance.
Individual disclosure normally not requiredSubstantially AI-assisted text
Where generative AI materially produced or transformed public-interest text, we provide a note when needed to explain the process, especially where that contribution would otherwise be unclear to readers.
Example: “This report was prepared with AI assistance and reviewed by the Ireland Newspaper editorial desk.”AI-generated illustration
A synthetic image used as an editorial illustration is identified in the caption or immediately adjacent text. It must not be presented as documentary evidence of a real person, place or event.
Example: “AI-generated editorial illustration.”Materially manipulated media
Realistic AI-generated or substantially AI-altered image, audio or video receives prominent disclosure. Use must be justified by news value, analysis, education, criticism, satire or another legitimate editorial purpose.
Example: “Synthetic media — artificially generated or manipulated.”Automated data content
Weather, markets, results or other structured updates generated from data feeds should identify their automated nature, source where appropriate, update time and relevant delay or limitation.
Example: “Automatically updated from the stated data source; last update shown above.”Corrections to disclosure
If a required label is missing, unclear or inaccurate, we may add or amend it. Adding a process note does not by itself mean that the underlying facts were wrong.
Disclosure may be updated as tools or legal duties changeSynthetic media must not falsify the visual record
Editorial illustrations
AI-generated illustrations may be used to explain an abstract subject or accompany a story where no documentary claim is made. They must be labelled and should avoid a misleading likeness of an identifiable person unless editorially justified and lawful.
Technical adjustments
Routine cropping, colour correction, exposure adjustment, noise reduction or resizing may be used when it does not materially change meaning. Removing, adding or relocating important elements requires disclosure and may be prohibited.
Deepfakes and impersonation
Realistic synthetic media depicting a person as saying or doing something they did not say or do is not used deceptively. If reported because it is itself newsworthy, it must be clearly identified, contextualised and handled with safeguards against further harm.
Absolute prohibition: Ireland Newspaper does not create or publish non-consensual synthetic sexual imagery, child sexual abuse material, exploitative intimate deepfakes or synthetic media intended to facilitate fraud, harassment, blackmail, identity abuse or incitement.
Structured updates require visible safeguards
Some weather, market, currency, commodity, sports or other data services may update automatically without an editor rewriting every value. Automation must not be disguised as individually reported prose.
Responsible use extends beyond the final article
Personal data and privacy
Only information necessary for the editorial task should be entered into an approved tool. Sensitive or special-category data requires particular care, an appropriate lawful basis and safeguards proportionate to the risk.
Confidential sources
Unpublished source identities, confidential documents, passwords, private keys and protected communications must not be submitted to a public or unauthorised AI service. Redaction alone may not be sufficient where context can re-identify a source.
Copyright and licences
AI output is not assumed to be original, non-infringing or available for unrestricted use. Text, code, images, audio, video and training or source inputs require appropriate rights review, attribution and licence compliance.
Bias and discrimination
Editors should examine whether prompts, source data or model behaviour produce stereotypes, unequal treatment, missing perspectives or discriminatory inferences. AI must not be used to infer sensitive characteristics without a justified and lawful purpose.
Security and tool approval
Tools should be assessed for access controls, data retention, provider terms, model-training settings, incident response and the sensitivity of the intended use. Approval for one task does not automatically authorise every use.
Records and review
For material or high-risk use, the newsroom may retain relevant prompts, outputs, source references, approvals or disclosure decisions where lawful and proportionate. Tools and controls are reviewed as capabilities, risks and legal requirements change.
External contributors
Freelancers, agencies, partners and other contributors must disclose material AI use and comply with this policy. Submission does not guarantee publication, and undisclosed or unverifiable synthetic material may be rejected.
AI detection tools
Detection scores may inform an assessment but are not treated as conclusive proof that content is or is not AI-generated. Decisions should consider provenance, metadata, source evidence, context and direct verification.
Corrections and incidents
Confirmed errors, missing labels, privacy incidents or harmful synthetic content are assessed promptly. Remedial action may include correction, clarification, relabelling, removal, feed suspension, access restriction or escalation.
Clear answers for readers and contributors
Does AI write Ireland Newspaper articles?
AI may assist with research organisation, translation, summaries, drafting, formatting or other production tasks. It is not accepted as an independent source and does not assume editorial responsibility. Material public-interest content requires human review appropriate to its risk before publication.
Is every use of AI labelled?
No. Routine spelling, formatting or technical assistance normally does not need an individual label. Disclosure is provided when AI materially generated or manipulated content, where authenticity could otherwise be misunderstood, or where applicable law or context requires it.
Can an AI-generated image illustrate a news report?
Yes, when it is an appropriate editorial illustration, clearly labelled and not presented as an authentic photograph of the reported event. Realistic depictions of identifiable people require additional legal, ethical and editorial assessment.
Can automated data be published without individual review?
Structured data services may update automatically under documented controls, including source identification, timestamps, validation and monitoring. Automated values are not presented as individually verified human reporting, and a responsible team must be able to intervene.
Does Ireland Newspaper use confidential submissions to train AI?
Confidential source material and private reader submissions must not be used to train an external AI system unless that use is specifically authorised, lawful, necessary, appropriately secured and transparently communicated where required. Ordinary newsroom use does not create permission for unrelated model training.
Can AI-assisted content still contain errors?
Yes. Human review reduces risk but cannot guarantee perfect accuracy. Readers should report specific concerns. Confirmed significant errors are handled under our Corrections Policy regardless of whether AI contributed to the workflow.
Does this policy claim EU certification or regulatory approval?
No. This is Ireland Newspaper’s internal policy. References to the EU AI Act, European Commission guidance or other standards are provided for information and do not claim certification, endorsement, code signatory status or approval by any authority.
Will this policy change?
Yes. AI systems, editorial practice and applicable law develop quickly. Bigmedia24 Dynamics Ltd. may revise this policy. The version published on this page applies from its stated review or effective date, without limiting rights and obligations that arise independently under law.
Report an AI-related error or concern.
Send the exact URL, identify the text, image, audio, video, chart or automated value concerned, explain the issue and include reliable supporting material where possible.