At Edinburgh Wire, we use digital tools and artificial intelligence to support our reporting, but every piece of content you read is reviewed, approved and published by a human editor. Our AI & Automation Policy explains how these technologies fit into our newsroom, what we never allow them to do, and how we keep human judgement at the centre of everything we produce. You can read our wider editorial policy for more detail on our standards.
How do we use AI and automation to support our journalism?
We allow AI-assisted tools to help with research, drafting, editing, formatting, translation, metadata generation, headline options, summaries and transcription of audio or video sources. These tools can speed up routine tasks and free our journalists to focus on original reporting, interviews and analysis.
All output from such tools is treated as a starting point, not a finished product. A named human writer and at least one editor must check, revise and approve every article before it is published. AI never writes an article unsupervised, and we never rely on automated systems to generate stories without human oversight.
What is the human guarantee behind every article?
Every article on Edinburgh Wire is drafted by a named writer, reviewed by an editor and fact-checked before publication. Editor-in-Chief William Ashby holds final responsibility for editorial standards, publication decisions and corrections. Managing Editor Sarah Mills oversees the daily newsroom and headline review. Our Standards & Fact-Checking Lead Diane Forbes verifies sources and handles corrections.
AI may assist with background research or suggest phrasing, but the byline always belongs to a real journalist who stands by the accuracy and fairness of their work. No article is published without human approval from the editorial chain described in our team page.
What are the strict prohibitions on AI use?
We absolutely prohibit AI from fabricating quotes, sources, interviews, bylines, author experience or expert profiles. AI must never invent a person, attribute a statement to an individual who did not say it, or generate false data. Any AI-generated draft must be checked against original sources, and any quotation must be verified from a primary recording or confirmed by the speaker.
We also forbid using AI to replace human editorial judgement on sensitive or complex stories, to generate anonymous opinion pieces, or to alter the tone or meaning of a piece without editor approval. Automated systems cannot make decisions about corrections, retractions or complaints.
What you can expect from us
You can expect that every story on Edinburgh Wire is the product of human curiosity, verification and accountability. AI tools are never used to cut corners on accuracy, and we will always name the journalists responsible for every article. If an error occurs, our corrections policy and complaints procedure guarantee a prompt and transparent fix.
We commit to updating this policy as technology evolves, and we welcome feedback from readers about how we use automation. Our fact-checking policy details the rigorous steps we take before publication.
Who oversees the use of AI at Edinburgh Wire?
Editor-in-Chief William Ashby has overall responsibility for AI governance at Edinburgh Wire, supported by Standards & Fact-Checking Lead Diane Forbes, who reviews any tool before it is adopted and audits its use across the newsroom. Managing Editor Sarah Mills ensures that AI-assisted work flows through the same editorial process as any other article.
We do not outsource editorial oversight to third-party platforms. All AI tools are used under licence from providers who agree to our terms on data privacy, accuracy and non-attribution of fictional content. Sliema Media Limited, as the owner and operator of Edinburgh Wire, holds full legal responsibility for compliance with UK and EU regulations on automated content.
Questions or concerns?
If you have any questions about how we use AI and automation, or wish to report something you believe may have been produced with insufficient human oversight, please contact us. You can reach the editorial desk at our contact page or email editorial@edinburghwire.co.uk. For specific concerns about accuracy or sources, contact Diane Forbes at diane.forbes@edinburghwire.co.uk or use the factcheck@edinburghwire.co.uk address. For general inquiries, write to info@edinburghwire.co.uk.