AI ethics guidelines
A starter kit for newsrooms
In 2024, the Poynter Institute introduced a framework to help newsrooms create clear, responsible AI ethics policies — especially those just beginning to address the role of artificial intelligence in their journalism.
Now updated for 2025, the AI Ethics Starter Kit helps organizations define how they will and will not use AI in ways that serve their mission and audience and uphold core journalistic values. The updated kit offers a customizable foundation that newsrooms can build on and adapt as their needs evolve. It includes new information on AI in visual journalism and the creation of products, as well as a public-facing statement about the newsroom’s policy.
We encourage you to download the updated documents and begin shaping — or refining — your AI policy today.
Download the 2025 AI Ethics Guidelines
We’ve also prepared a shorter, public-facing version that news organizations can share with their audiences to help them understand how and why AI is being used. You can find that here:
Download the public facing AI Ethics Guidelines
We invite you to share your newsroom’s final policy with Poynter to support a stronger, more informed industry-wide conversation. Please share any updates with ethics@poynter.org.
Poynter‘s AI ethics experts
-
Kelly McBrideSenior Vice President and Chair of Craig Newmark Center for Ethics and LeadershipKelly McBride is a journalist, consultant and one of the country’s leading voices on media ethics and democracy. She is senior vice president and chair...Read More
-
Alex MahadevanMediaWise Director and Poynter FacultyAlex Mahadevan is faculty at Poynter and director of MediaWise, Poynter’s digital media literacy project that teaches people of all ages how to spot misinformation...Read More
-
Tony ElkinsFacultyTony Elkins, a citizen of the Comanche Nation, is a faculty member at Poynter. His portfolio includes Poynter's early and mid-career leadership workshops Essential Skills...Read More
