WordPatch.co.uk uses digital tools and automation in a careful, transparent and editorially responsible manner. This policy explains how such tools support our work, what safeguards are in place, and what we will never do with them. Our commitment is to maintain the trust of our readers by ensuring that every piece of content published meets our editorial standards and has been subject to human oversight.
How digital tools support our work
We employ a range of digital tools – including those that incorporate artificial intelligence and machine learning – to assist with specific production tasks. These tools are used strictly as aids, never as replacements for human editorial judgment. Areas where they can contribute include:
- Research and data aggregation – helping to gather public information, summarise source material or identify relevant background context.
- Editing and formatting – suggesting improvements in clarity, consistency and style, or automatically applying house-formatting rules.
- Translation – producing draft translations or checking cross-language terminology, always reviewed by a human with the appropriate language skills.
- Metadata and structuring – generating initial metadata, tagging or structuring content for accessibility and search optimisation.
- Headline and summary options – providing alternative headline or summary suggestions for editorial consideration.
- Transcription support – converting audio or video interviews into text for review and editing.
- Content review – flagging potential factual inconsistencies, potential copyright concerns or formatting errors before final editorial review.
All such use is subject to the oversight of the editorial team and the Standards & Fact-Checking Lead, Thomas Ellery (fact-checking policy).
The human guarantee
Every piece of editorial content published on WordPatch.co.uk is reviewed by a qualified human editor before it appears on the site. No article, guide, review, interview, opinion piece or any other editorial material is published solely on the basis of automated generation. The editor responsible for the content – as listed on our team page – confirms that the article meets our editorial standards, that all sources are verified, and that the content is accurate, fair and appropriate for our audience. This guarantee applies to all content types, including short posts, opinion pieces and resource articles.
Strict prohibitions
We adhere to clear boundaries regarding the use of AI and automation. The following practices are strictly forbidden:
- No fabricated content – AI must never be used to generate quotes, sources, interviews, bylines, author experience, expert profiles, false staff or credentials, or any false first-hand experience. Any claim or quote must be verifiable and attributable to a real person or documented source.
- Verification of AI-assisted claims – Where a digital tool is used to assist in gathering information, all claims, statistics, names and references must be independently verified by a human editor before publication. Our fact-checking policy outlines the verification process in detail.
- Labeling of AI-generated media – If AI or automation is used to generate images, audio or video that forms part of our editorial content, that material will be clearly labelled as such, typically with a note in the caption or credit line. We do not use AI to create photorealistic images of people or events without explicit disclosure.
- No mass-produced low-value content – We never use automation to produce large volumes of low-quality, superficial or repetitive content designed to manipulate search rankings or artificially inflate our output. Every piece of content must serve a genuine informational, educational or editorial purpose for our readers.
- Accuracy in advice content – AI-assisted writing, grammar or education advice is reviewed for accuracy, clarity and appropriateness before publication. Advice must reflect current standards in British English usage and educational best practice.
Disclosure of AI use
Where digital tools including AI have been used significantly in the preparation of an article (beyond basic spellcheck or formatting), we include a standard disclosure at the bottom of the article. An example:
“This article was prepared with the support of digital editing tools and reviewed by a human editor before publication.”
In cases where the tool was used for translation, transcription or headline generation, the disclosure will be more specific. Readers can always contact us via our contact page if they have questions about a particular piece of content.
Governance and review
This policy is overseen by our Editor-in-Chief, Harriet Langford, in coordination with Thomas Ellery (Standards & Fact-Checking Lead). It is reviewed regularly to reflect developments in technology and industry best practice. All editorial staff and contributors are made aware of these guidelines. For the broader editorial framework within which this policy sits, please see our editorial policy.
We welcome feedback from readers on this policy or any other area of our operation. Please direct queries to contact@wordpatch.co.uk.