At PlaylisterUK.co.uk, we believe that technology should serve music journalism, not replace it. Our AI & Automation Policy sets out how we use digital tools to enhance our editorial work, the human oversight that guarantees quality and accountability, and the clear boundaries we place on automated content creation. This policy applies to all content published under the PlaylisterUK brand, including news, features, playlists, reviews, interviews, and any other editorial output.
How digital tools support our work
We employ a range of digital tools to assist our editorial team in producing thorough, accurate, and engaging content. These tools are always used under human direction and never as a substitute for editorial judgment. Specific applications include:
- Research assistance: AI-powered search tools help our journalists and editors gather background information, verify facts, and identify relevant sources more efficiently. All source material is independently checked by a human.
- Editing and formatting: Grammar checkers, style guides, and formatting tools help maintain consistency across articles, especially for metadata, tagging, and publication layout.
- Translation support: For interviews or news items originally in other languages, machine translation may provide a rough initial draft. A human editor with language skills then reviews and refines the translation to ensure accuracy and cultural nuance.
- Headline and summary generation: Automated suggestions for headlines, subheadings, and article summaries may be used as creative starting points. The final headline and summary are always chosen by an editor and checked for clarity, accuracy, and tone.
- Transcription: Interview recordings and press conference audio may be transcribed using automated speech recognition. Transcripts are then reviewed and corrected by a journalist before use.
- Playlist organisation: Data-driven tools can help sort and categorise tracks, artists, and releases for playlist curation. The final selection and editorial justification remain the responsibility of our Playlists & Discovery Editor.
- Content review assistance: Automated systems can flag potential duplicate content, copyright issues, or inconsistencies in metadata. All flags are manually investigated by an editor.
The human guarantee
Every piece of editorial content published on PlaylisterUK.co.uk is reviewed by a human editor before it goes live. This includes articles, playlist descriptions, reviews, interviews, news briefs, and any other material. Our editorial workflow ensures that no automated output is published without full human oversight. The Editor-in-Chief, Oliver Kingsley, and the Managing Editor, Amelia Ward, are ultimately responsible for the integrity of all published content. Our Standards & Fact-Checking Lead, Thomas Ellery, oversees the verification of any AI-assisted claims, data, or attributions. Readers and contributors can hold us accountable via our corrections policy and complaints procedure.
Strict prohibitions
We impose firm boundaries on the use of AI and automation to protect the trust of our audience and the integrity of our journalism. Under no circumstances may AI be used to:
- fabricate quotes, sources, interviews, or bylines;
- create false author experience, expert profiles, or staff credentials;
- present AI-generated text as if it were the product of first-hand reporting or original research;
- mass-produce low-value or repetitive content designed to manipulate search rankings or generate ad revenue without editorial merit;
- generate images, audio, or video that misrepresent reality unless clearly labelled as AI-generated or artistically augmented.
Any AI-generated or AI-assisted content elements (such as illustrative images or audio samples) will be clearly labelled where relevant. Our fact-checking policy requires all claims, whether human-sourced or AI-assisted, to be independently verified.
Disclosure example
Where digital tools have played a material role in the preparation of an article, editors may include a disclosure such as: “This article was prepared with the support of digital editing tools and reviewed by a human editor before publication.” This statement will appear at the end of the article or in the author bio. We are transparent about our methods because our readers deserve to know how our journalism is made.
Accountability and ongoing review
This policy is reviewed annually by the editorial leadership team in consultation with our Standards & Fact-Checking Lead. In a rapidly changing technological landscape, we commit to updating this policy as new tools emerge and as industry best practice evolves. For any questions about this policy, please contact our Editor-in-Chief (oliver.kingsley@playlisteruk.co.uk) or the editorial team at contact@playlisteruk.co.uk. You can also learn more about our wider editorial standards in our editorial policy and meet the team on our Our Team page.