Use of AI by the Williamsburg Independent

The Williamsburg Independent is committed to accurate, independent, 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. While AI can help us work more efficiently and expand our coverage, it does not change our responsibility to verify information, correct mistakes, and maintain high editorial standards. This policy outlines how we use AI and the safeguards we have in place.

How we use AI: The Williamsburg Independent uses 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, including drafts, is checked against original sources first. We do not enter confidential source information, sensitive unpublished reporting materials, or similar protected information into AI systems unless appropriate safeguards are in place.

What we don’t do with AI: We do not use AI to invent quotes, facts, sources, statistics, or events; create fake interviews or falsely attribute statements to individuals; 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; or present AI systems as sources, eyewitnesses, or experts.

Transparency and accountability: We label content where AI played a substantial role in what readers see or hear, such as AI-generated images or synthetic audio. We do not separately flag routine production uses such as transcription, formatting, editing assistance, or research support. If AI contributes to an error, we correct it using the same standards that apply to any other mistake. AI does not change our responsibility and commitment regarding the accuracy, fairness, and integrity of our reporting.

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