AI Policy

AI assists production tasks; editors approve all published content.

The Williamsburg Independent is committed to accurate and transparent journalism. As AI tools become more capable and widely used, we believe readers deserve to know how these tools fit into our reporting process.

We use AI to assist with tasks such as transcription, research, document analysis, summaries, editing, translation, and other production needs, but AI never replaces human judgment. Every story is reviewed and approved by a human editor before publication, and anything AI helps generate is checked against original sources. Sources are properly attributed and/or used with consent.

We label specific content where AI plays a substantial role, such as AI-generated images or synthetic audio, though routine uses like transcription or editing assistance aren’t separately flagged. Any AI-related errors are corrected as soon as they are identified.

We do not use AI to:

• publish AI-generated content as original reporting without human review and verification

• create or alter photos, video, or audio in ways that could mislead readers

• invent quotes, facts, sources, statistics, create fake interviews or falsely attribute statements to individuals

• present AI systems as sources, eyewitnesses, or experts

We will update this policy as AI technology, newsroom practices, and community expectations evolve. If you have any questions or comments, please email us at contact@williamsburgindependent.com