Artificial Intelligence (AI) Policy

Press Network of Pakistan (PNP) recognizes that Artificial Intelligence (AI) tools are increasingly used in journalism, research, translation, content planning, data analysis, visual storytelling, and digital publishing across the globe. PNP supports the responsible use of AI where it improves efficiency, accuracy, accessibility, and public-interest journalism.

The PNP AI Policy is intended to ensure that AI use at PNP remains transparent, ethical, human-supervised, legally compliant, and consistent with professional journalism standards.

PNP does not treat AI as a replacement for journalists, editors, researchers, or human judgment. Final editorial responsibility always rests with PNP’s human editorial team.

PNP AI Policy – Core Principles

PNP’s use of AI shall be guided by the following principles:

1. Accuracy and verification
2. Human editorial oversight
3. Transparency with readers
4. Independence from political, commercial, or automated manipulation
5. Respect for privacy and human dignity
6. Accountability and correction of errors
7. Compliance with journalistic ethics and applicable laws

Permitted Uses of AI

PNP, under the AI Policy, may use AI tools for supporting newsroom and editorial operations, including:

• Generating topic ideas and article outlines
• Improving grammar, readability, and language clarity
• Assisting with SEO titles, meta descriptions, keywords, and headings
• Translating or summarizing content under editorial supervision
• Supporting research organization and background preparation
• Analyzing survey responses, trends, and public data
• Creating AI-assisted editorial illustrations, cartoons, infographics, or visual explainers
• Assisting interns and contributors in training, brainstorming, and content structuring

AI may help improve workflow, but it shall not replace verification, reporting, editorial review, or human responsibility. Routine use of AI may not require a separate disclosure unless it materially affects the content.

Prohibited Uses of AI

Under the AI Policy, it is strictly prohibited to use AI for:

• Fabricating facts, sources, quotes, documents, interviews, statistics, or evidence
• Publishing AI-generated claims without verification
• Creating misleading or deceptive news content
• Producing deepfake material intended to mislead readers
• Plagiarizing or substantially reproducing copyrighted content
• Generating defamatory, hateful, discriminatory, or inflammatory material
• Manipulating public opinion through fake engagement, fake comments, or automated propaganda
• Publishing AI-generated articles without human review

AI-generated content must never be used to misrepresent reality, deceive the audience, or compromise journalistic integrity.

Human Editorial Oversight

All AI-assisted content must be reviewed by a human editor before publication.

• Factual accuracy
• Source reliability
• Context and balance
• Language clarity
• Ethical sensitivity
• Legal risk
• Proper labeling where necessary

No AI tool is authorized to independently publish content on PNP platforms.

Verification and Source Standards

AI tools are not considered primary sources. Any factual information suggested by AI must be independently verified through credible sources, official documents, direct statements, expert input, or reliable reporting.

PNP journalists, interns, freelancers, and contributors remain personally responsible for verifying all facts before submission or publication.

AI-Assisted Visual Journalism

PNP may publish AI-assisted cartoons, caricatures, illustrations, infographics, and visual commentary for journalistic, educational, analytical, or satirical purposes.

Such content must:

• Serve a legitimate editorial purpose
• Avoid misleading representation of real events
• Avoid defamatory or hateful depictions
• Respect human dignity and cultural sensitivities
• Be reviewed by editors before publication
• Be labeled where appropriate as AI-assisted visual content

Editorial cartoons and illustrations represent commentary or interpretation and should not be understood as literal depictions of events.

Privacy and Data Protection

PNP shall not knowingly enter confidential personal data, private communications, unpublished sensitive documents, or personal information of sources into public AI tools without proper authorization and safeguards.

AI tools must be used in a manner consistent with PNP’s Privacy Policy and applicable privacy standards. Personal data collected through surveys, comments, forms, newsletters, or reader participation must not be misused for AI processing without appropriate consent or lawful basis.

Content Responsibility

PNP publishes content contributed by staff writers, correspondents, analysts, columnists, interns, guest contributors, and partner content providers. Responsibility for the accuracy, opinions, analysis, claims, and conclusions expressed in a published article primarily rests with the author whose byline appears on the content.

Authors and contributors using Artificial Intelligence (AI) tools remain fully responsible for verifying facts, sources, quotations, statistics, translations, and other information before submission for publication. Violation of this AI Policy may result in rejection of content, removal of publication privileges, or disciplinary action.

Corrections and Accountability

The appearance of content on PNP platforms does not necessarily imply endorsement of every statement, opinion, or conclusion by Press Network of Pakistan (PNP), its management, editors, contributors, partners, or affiliates.

If AI-assisted content contains a factual error, misleading statement, incorrect translation, or inaccurate visual representation, it shall be handled under PNP’s Correction Policy.

Corrections may include:

• Updating the article
• Adding a correction note
• Clarifying the role of AI where relevant
• Removing or retracting content in serious cases

Independence and Editorial Integrity

AI tools must not be used to influence PNP’s editorial independence. Editorial decisions shall remain based on public interest, news value, accuracy, fairness, and professional judgment.

Advertisers, sponsors, partners, political actors, or technology vendors shall not use AI systems to influence PNP’s editorial agenda or published content.

Copyright and Intellectual Property

PNP respects copyright, trademark, and intellectual property rights. AI-assisted content must not knowingly infringe the rights of third parties.

Contributors are responsible for ensuring that submitted material, including AI-assisted text or visuals, is original, properly licensed, or legally permissible for publication.

Continuous Review

AI technology is rapidly evolving. PNP will periodically review and update this AI Policy to reflect new legal requirements, ethical standards, newsroom practices, and technological developments.

Contact

Questions, complaints, or concerns regarding the use of AI in PNP content may be submitted through the official contact channels of Press Network of Pakistan. If you have any questions about this AI Policy, please contact us by email: editor (at) pnp.com.pk

Press Network of Pakistan (PNP), through this AI Policy,  remains committed to responsible innovation, ethical journalism, transparency, public accountability, and the protection of reader trust in the age of Artificial Intelligence.