AI Policy

Monterey County Weekly/Monterey County Now is committed to upholding ethical journalistic practices and principles (adhering to the Society of Professional Journalists Code of Ethics). Beyond the principles laid out in this code, Artificial Intelligence (AI) presents new and evolving questions. 

In general, the Weekly/Now is open to experimentation and utilization of the best available tools for reporting. This may include incorporating AI in a variety of functions, including generative AI. 

Generative AI is the use of large language models (LLMs) to create something new, such as text, images, graphics and interactive media. Although generative AI has the potential to improve newsgathering, accessibility to readers (through tools like audio and translation) and enhance many of our practices, it also has the potential to harm journalists’ credibility and our unique relationship with our audience.

The guidelines below direct our usage of AI. These were updated as of April 2026 and will be updated as technology and our relationship to it changes. 

• AI is not a human substitute. AI is not used to write or compose published material. Our stories/images are produced by human reporters, writers, graphic designers, photographers and editors. AI may be used to assist, not to replace, our human team.
• Journalists/humans are accountable. The ultimate responsibility for accuracy, fairness, clarity and judgment rests with our human staff. 
• Transparency is paramount. Our reporters may use AI for a range of tasks in newsgathering (such as producing transcripts of interviews or public meetings—then verifying quotations for accuracy). If AI is used extensively in reporting or analysis, or to produce text/images that we publish, we disclose its use to our readers. We may use AI for newsgathering and analysis functions such as reviewing extensive public records or data, and our human team will vet the output. 
• Accuracy and verification. All information generated by AI requires human verification. Everything we publish will live up to our standards, whether or not AI was incorporated in newsgathering or analysis. AI-generated material is treated as an unvetted source.
• Service to our readers. Our use of AI should be guided by what will be useful to our audience and advance our mission: to inspire independent thinking and conscious action, etc. AI tools enable us to be more accessible to more readers through functions such as an audio-generator on digital stories and translation into languages other than English (vetted by a human editor before publication). Salinas Valley Now (salinasvalleynow.com) uses AI for a first round of translation from English into Spanish before it is vetted by a human editor for publication.
• Privacy and security. Our team is committed to protecting sources and will not give confidential information to AI tools.
• Reader feedback matters. Please tell us what you think is working and what’s not. We welcome your input.