AP updates guidance on generative AI standards

Amanda Barrett

AP has updated its guidance on the use of generative AI in the news report to allow for some experimentation around the use of the technology in specific use cases.

In each case, content begins with the work of an AP journalist, and an AP journalist will edit and vet the content before publication.

Three areas where AP will experiment with generative AI are:

• Translations of English language AP stories into Spanish: The translations will be based on AP stories and an AI model will be used to convert them to Spanish. A member of AP’s Spanish-language translation staff will edit the copy as necessary before transmitting it to customers. Translations can represent a considerable change to a story. For translations, the AP will clearly indicate the technology’s use.
• Creation of news summaries: After a story is written by an AP journalist, an AI model will supply an automated summary, which will be edited by an AP journalist as necessary before being sent to customers.
• Writing headlines: An AI model will suggest headlines for some stories, which will be reviewed by an editor and edited as necessary before publication.

Accuracy, fairness and speed remain the guiding values for the AP news report. While the mindful use of AI can serve these values, ultimately it is the responsibility of every AP journalist to be accountable for the accuracy and fairness of the information shared with our customers and audiences.

The updated guidance is the result of extensive work among standards, product and technology teams aimed at identifying uses of generative AI to make AP journalism more efficient and effective.

The central role of the AP journalist — gathering, evaluating and editing news stories, video, photography and audio for our members and customers and presenting them across our platforms — will not change.