Desert Trumpet AI Policy
The Desert Trumpet is a human-produced publication. Every story we publish is reported, written, and edited by people — our staff, contributors, and editors — who are accountable to our readers and to the standards of local journalism. We are aware that many readers approach AI-assisted journalism with skepticism, and we share that concern. The proliferation of AI-generated content has contributed to misinformation, the erosion of trust in media, and the displacement of human reporters in communities that need them most. We do not take these issues lightly, and we believe local news depends on human judgment, human relationships, and human accountability to the communities being covered.
At the same time, Desert Trumpet operates with a very small staff and an extremely limited budget. We have concluded that selective, carefully supervised use of AI tools —with full transparency — allows us to serve our community more effectively than weotherwise could.
How we currently use AI
Transcription. We use AI transcription tools to generate transcripts of public meetings and board sessions. These transcripts are reviewed and corrected by staff before use. They are a starting point, not a finished product.
Research assistance. AI tools may be used to help summarize background material or identify relevant context during the reporting process. All facts that appear in our published work are verified by human reporters.
Copy editing. AI tools may assist with grammar, clarity, and proofreading. Final editorial decisions rest with our editors.
Draft assistance. In limited cases, AI may be used to help generate introductory or concluding passages for opinion columns and features, at the discretion of thewriter and with editorial review. This use will always be disclosed.
Disclosure
This policy describes the boundaries of AI use at Desert Trumpet. Readers can assume that any content we publish falls within these guidelines. If we publish content in which AI use departs from or exceeds what is described here, we will say so explicitly in that piece.
Possible future uses
We are exploring whether AI-assisted summaries could allow us to expand coverage to additional local governing bodies that we currently lack the resources to cover with human reporters. If we pursue this, we will disclose the approach clearly to readers,identify any AI-assisted content as such, and treat expanded AI coverage as a bridge toward human reporting, not a replacement for it.
AI and the environment
We recognize that AI systems consume significant computational resources and carry an environmental cost. This sits in tension with our commitment to environmental reporting and advocacy. We aim to use AI tools judiciously and will weigh this impact as we make decisions about expanding our use of these tools.
What we will not do
AI will not be used to generate original news reporting without human verification and editorial oversight. We will not use AI in ways that undermine the accuracy, accountability, or integrity of our journalism.
This policy will be reviewed and updated as our practices evolve and as industry standards develop.