AI Governance in Journalism: A Risk Management Approach for Guidance on the Use of Generative AI

With the emergence of generative AI, news outlets have been experimenting with different ways to incorporate them into journalism practices, from newsgathering to producing automated content, and optimizing distribution. How can we ensure news outlets are adopting AI technologies in an ethical way? This study examines guidelines on the use of AI published by 14 news outlets in the United States. Common ethical values such as transparency, fairness, and accountability are found in both AI and journalism ethics and frame our comparative analysis. We argue that most of these AI standards are vague and abstract, lacking a practical approach with examples illustrating problematic uses of GenAI in journalism. Reflecting upon the lack of regulation, this study proposes a risk management framework with concrete examples and recommendations to mitigate potential harms associated with the use of generative AI in journalism.