In an INMA Content Strategies blog, Jacob Otieno Onyango, editor-in-chief of Kenya’s TUKO, argues that while newsroom AI disclosure is necessary, context matters.
“That AI is now being used in newsrooms to support editorial processes is no longer news,” he says. “The conversation has shifted to how journalists and media houses are deploying AI tools, and the place of media ethics in the AI era.
“So should journalists and media houses disclose when AI is used in a story?”
Newsrooms and journalists use AI for many reasons, but supporting tools have not been disclosed in the past, and they may not need to be disclosed if the tools are not central to the story.
“Before answering, let me highlight a few notable cases of AI mishaps in the newsroom that underscore the need for a serious dialogue on AI and media ethics, and why greater transparency may be necessary if we are to safeguard public trust and confidence in journalism.
“In November 2025, The Standard, one of Kenya’s mainstream newspapers, drew criticism after an article using an AI prompt was spotted in its print edition – a glaring lapse in editorial oversight at a reputable outlet.
“A similar AI prompt slip-up occurred at a leading Pakistani news outlet, Dawn News, which also came under fire after AI chat instructions appeared in a published story, denting the credibility of a respected national platform.
“These incidents push a hard question to the fore: Should newsrooms be compelled to disclose every instance of AI use in published stories?”
Otieno Onyango says most readers can’t tell the difference
“AI has advanced to the point where it can write news stories almost as well as a human journalist. The only reason the cases above were flagged is that those involved were complacent. The ‘State of Media 2025 Report’ by the Media Council of Kenya, the country’s media regulator, noted that 63 per cent of Kenyan media consumers were unable to distinguish AI‑generated content from traditional news reporting.
“This means a story fabricated with AI will most likely go unnoticed, unless the author discloses it or forgets to remove the prompts,” he says.
The revised Code of Conduct for Media Practice 2025 sets out ethical guardrails for journalists and media houses, including the responsible use of AI.
Anyone subject to the Code must ensure AI use in content creation is fair and unbiased, does not perpetuate harmful stereotypes, does not compromise accuracy, and respects intellectual property rights. Notably, the Code requires journalists to disclose whenever AI has been used to create, modify, or edit images, videos, or other editorial material.
The Code further requires AI‑generated content be reviewed and approved by human editors before publication. It prohibits cloning the likeness, voice, or persona of real individuals without their informed consent.
The Code of Conduct was put in place to prevent misuse and abuse by bad actors, and not to discourage us from using AI in journalism.
Disclosure is necessary, but not in all instances: “The instinctive reaction for many is to demand full disclosure anytime AI is used. But that oversimplifies how journalism actually works today,” Otieno Onyango says.
“AI is increasingly just another productivity tool. Journalists worldwide use it to transcribe interviews, summarise long reports, suggest headlines, organise research, and translate content. None of this fundamentally alters the core journalistic responsibility of gathering facts, verifying information, and exercising editorial judgment.
“For years, journalists have used technology without disclosing it to readers. Editors use spell checkers and grammar software such as Grammarly. Photographers use editing software to adjust lighting and crop images. The public is not told every time such tools are used, because the tools are not the story. What matters is whether the final copy meets ethical and professional standards. AI tools should be viewed through a similar lens,” he says.
“The key issue is not disclosure for its own sake, but whether AI is used responsibly. If a journalist uses AI to organise notes or refine sentence structure, mandatory disclosure adds little for the audience.
“However, if AI is used to generate synthetic images, fabricate voices, create entirely automated stories, or simulate events that did not happen, then transparency becomes essential because the technology materially shapes audience understanding. This is the position the revised Code takes.
“That said, AI does demand stronger ethical guidelines. These systems can reproduce bias, state false information confidently, or misread context. The examples above show that newsrooms blindly relying on AI risk their credibility and public confidence. Human oversight must remain central to the editorial process.”
What else can newsrooms do? Media houses like TUKO.co.ke have already established clear internal guidelines, anchored in the Code of Conduct, on how AI can and cannot be used. “For example, at TUKO.co.ke, much of this runs through EditorialEye, the in-house AI assistant we use in our newsroom.
“Trained on our own editorial guides, SEO standards, and ethical frameworks, it checks, flags, and recommends, but it never writes, and every final decision sits with a human editor. Visuals and other AI-generated material are labelled in line with the Code, and the tool sits within a clear AI usage policy backed by staff training and copy-editor audits. Even with that in place, journalists still need ongoing training on verification and fact-checking when working with AI.
“Editors must ensure no AI-edited material is published without fact-checking. Most importantly, accountability for published content should rest with human journalists, not the tools they use.
“The conversation should also shift away from technological fear-mongering. Every major shift in media, from radio to television to the Internet, once sparked similar anxiety, yet journalism adapted each time because its core mission stayed intact: keeping the public informed and serving the public interest.
“AI is simply the latest tool in our toolkit: Ignoring technological advancement is not an option either for modern newsrooms operating under intense pressure to produce timely, accurate, and engaging content. These new technologies can help journalists work faster, analyse large data sets more efficiently, identify trends quickly, translate content across languages, and free up time for deeper investigative reporting.
“If used responsibly, AI can unlock amazing opportunities and possibilities. Ultimately, it is not disclosure, but responsible use that truly matters.”