PHOTO OF THE DAY: A NEW NORM

This photo shows the opening page to the chapter on artificial intelligence that is included in the 2024-2026 Associated Press Stylebook, which is used as a guide for newspapers around the world. The Courier editorialized about this still-relatively new development in technology that uses bots to replace humans in content creation and other digital systems. The editorial is as follows.

Editorial: Artificial intelligence and its place in our industry

Just how much relevance is artificial intelligence (AI) having on the newspaper industry?

So much that the Associated Press (AP), which since 1953 has been publishing a stylebook to establish consistency across the newspaper spectrum, addresses it in its newest edition.

And it doesn’t get a paragraph or even a page. It gets an entire chapter.

The 2024-26 AP Stylebook offers general suggestions on how to report on AI, pitfalls to avoid, questions to ask and terms to understand.

And for those who could use a baseline understanding of AI, the Stylebook offers that, too.

According to the AP, artificial intelligence is: “Computer systems, software or processes that can emulate aspects of human work and cognition. Such systems are not conscious but are trained on vast datasets to accomplish tasks such as visual perception, analyzing and using speech, and learning — although in many cases to a limited extent. The term itself has been the subject of debate over the definition of intelligence as the technology has evolved in scope and influence.”

Because ethics and integrity are paramount in the world of ethical journalism, the risk AI poses to those hallmarks is deeply concerning. Because human oversight is critical to accountability, good journalism should never rely on artificial intelligence to do its work. However, it is almost universally agreed upon within the industry that AI can be a useful tool.

Where that line between the two is drawn remains up for discussion.

To that end, The Courier has developed a policy that will be used to guide its journalistic endeavors, but also shared with readers in the interest of transparency. Artificial intelligence has developed at a pace faster than any other technology in the history of the world, and this is just the beginning.

AI will continue to have a major impact on industries and systems worldwide, and it’s critical we gain an understanding of it and all its usefulness, challenges and inevitable changes to come. The Courier’s new policy will hopefully help aid in that effort.

Courier policy on artificial intelligence

• This newspaper uses artificial intelligence (AI) as a tool to help with the production of community journalism.
• That includes the transcription of audio and video files and the creation of outlines based on that information.
• The Courier will never ask AI to write news, feature and/or sports stories. The same holds true with opinion pieces.
• If AI is used for research, the results will be cross-referenced with other reliable sources like the Associated Press, Reuters, National Public Radio, BBC, and the Library of Congress.
• AI will never be used to create a photograph but might be a tool to help create an illustration. When that is the case, it will be clearly noted.
• Because artificial intelligence is evolving so quickly, The Courier will continue to monitor its place in journalism and will adjust its policy accordingly.