AI Usage Policy

We believe in being upfront about how our content is made, including our use of artificial-intelligence tools. This policy explains exactly where AI is and is not part of our process, and the human accountability that governs it.

Where we use AI

We use modern AI tools to work efficiently — for example to help gather and organise research, to draft and structure text, to suggest improvements to clarity, and to assist with translation across English, French and Arabic. Used this way, AI is a productivity tool, similar to a research assistant or a writing aid.

The human verification standard

AI assistance does not change our accuracy standard, and it never replaces human judgement. Every factual claim is verified by a human against credible sources before publication, exactly as set out in our Fact-Checking Policy. Final editorial responsibility for everything on this site rests with our human editorial team and review function — not with any automated system. A tool may help us write; it does not get to decide what is true.

What we never use AI to do

We do not use AI to:

• invent sources, citations, quotations, statistics or facts;
• fabricate reviews, testimonials, experiences, authors, reviewers or credentials;
• generate images that misrepresent a real place as something it is not;
• publish content that has not been checked by a person.

Anything an AI tool produces is treated as a draft to be verified, never as a source of truth in itself. AI is prone to producing plausible-sounding but false detail, which is precisely why our human fact-checking stage exists.

Why we disclose this

Disclosure is a matter of trust. Readers, and the search and AI systems that increasingly evaluate content, deserve to know how it was produced. We would rather be candid that we use these tools responsibly than pretend we do not. Responsible, disclosed, human-verified use of AI is consistent with — not a departure from — our commitment to accuracy.

Review

As these tools and the norms around them evolve, this policy will be updated. The date at the top reflects its last revision.