To our readers: How we are using AI in our newsrooms
Technology and artificial intelligence (AI) are getting a lot of attention these days – and it is not always positive.
Readers’ trust is McClatchy’s most valuable asset, and that is why we want to let you know about the technology and automation we are using in an effort to better serve our audience. Transparency will always be the rule we live by.
Here’s a closer look at how AI is being used across our content division.
What is AI?
Artificial Intelligence is an umbrella term used to describe any technology that carries out a function typically done by a human. AI applications range from simple automation to complex computations.
How do McClatchy’s newsrooms use AI?
This technology is rapidly evolving. We’re currently using AI in these ways:
Workflow: Reporters and editors routinely use transcription software, grammar/spell-check and other tools, including programs that improve metadata and search engine optimization, to help them work more efficiently.
Data analysis: In some cases, especially in investigative reporting, reporters use custom machine learning models or off-the-shelf models such as ChatGPT to analyze large amounts of text. Leveraging these types of models allows us to categorize information at a pace and scale beyond what we could accomplish with more manual methods alone.
Content generation: We automate the collection and publication of basic data points such as traffic or weather alerts, allowing our journalists to focus on reporting and writing stories that serve our communities. These initiatives are key to our strategy of turning our websites into full-service sources of local information grounded in the great local journalism from our staff members.
Summarization: We use AI tools to summarize stories reported and written by our journalists. These summaries can help readers quickly understand the main points of a single story or catch up on multiple stories about a larger topic. Summarized content is reviewed by editors before publication.
Content display: The stories you see on McClatchy homepages are chosen by local editors with help from an AI algorithm. The display includes the day’s important stories and recommendations for readers based on a mix of your interests and what’s trending on the site. We want to know what you think about the experience and are interested in your feedback. Similarly, some related articles and links displayed on story pages are selected using an AI algorithm.
How is AI used with visuals, and how do we inform readers when it is being used?
In situations where AI plays a significant role in the content creation process, transparency is vital. For instance, in a digital illustration where the central imagery (the center of interest) is entirely AI-generated, we will disclose the methodology or specify what parts were created by AI and what was not. This commitment to transparency will be maintained for any type of AI content generation, as we continue to adhere to journalistic editing processes.
In many cases, technology is used as a tool to expedite work without materially affecting the content, such as generating subtitles/closed captions. This is true of both AI and legacy editing methods. In cases where the technology significantly impacts content, McClatchy newsrooms are required to err on the side of transparency.
How can a reader tell if AI has been used in a story or visual?
If the use of AI has had a substantial impact on a story, we will include a clear notice at the beginning (such as in the byline) and end of the story and explain how technology was used.
For example, automated content that delivers in-demand data to readers includes a “bot” byline and a note at the bottom of the story describing the data source and the process. At The Miami Herald, for example, we distribute updates from the National Hurricane Center using a bot; the byline on the stories features the Miami Herald Bot, and the endnote indicates that AI was used in the creation of the content.
If AI plays a significant role in the creation of visual content, this will be clearly noted in the photo caption or video description.
Are editors and reporters involved and monitoring AI?
Editors have complete control and oversight of content and can make adjustments at any time.
We constantly track the accuracy, quality and results of new journalistic tools. We immediately make improvements when necessary, and we are quick to end automation that doesn’t meet our standards.
When it comes to the automatically generated stories, experts in the newsroom lead the way: They approve the data sources and collaborate with technologists to set parameters for story templates. Content goes through a rigorous review process before we begin auto-publishing, with editors determining when stories are readable, reliable and relevant.
For those familiar with the ability of certain AI to “hallucinate,” or make up facts, rest assured: Our automated content does not use that type of technology. We create templates, and all phrases and sentences are written by people first. Meanwhile, we have a series of strict rules that ensures a predictable result and accurate content.
How do we address mistakes caused by AI?
Our ethics policy requires us to correct errors, whether made by humans or AI, as quickly as possible. And we promise to be transparent with readers about errors and when a story is corrected.
What does the McClatchy ethics policy say about AI?
The content we are publishing using AI is supported by many parts of McClatchy’s ethics policy.
Our policy states that we don’t mislead readers, and we have built that transparency into our use of bots and other automated technology in our reporting and in our products. The AI tools we use have appropriate, clear bylines and taglines for crediting the work and their content is appropriately attributed. Our policy states that we correct errors as quickly as possible, and corrections on AI stories are handled like all other McClatchy journalism.
What does the future hold? What is ahead?
This technology has rapidly changed in just a few short months, and it will continue to evolve. These guidelines must continue to evolve with it. Above all, McClatchy newsrooms value our credibility in gathering and reporting the news, and the trust that readers place in us. That will not change. Again, transparency will always be the rule.
As this policy evolves, we will note significant updates in this space. Updated Spring 2025
This story was originally published April 1, 2026 at 4:17 PM with the headline "To our readers: How we are using AI in our newsrooms."