Dear Reader,
Have you ever wondered whether machines write our articles? If so, the short answer is: no! I’d like to explain the slightly longer answer to you below, openly and without using technical jargon.
Since 2011, Teneriffa News has been reporting first on the largest of the Canary Islands and, in the meantime, on all of them. You can read our story here. We are a small editorial team with a big ambition: we want to tell you what’s going on. However, our mission doesn’t end there. Above all, we want to explain why things happen and what exactly that means for you. However, there is sometimes not enough time for this in our day-to-day editorial work.
At such a juncture, there are two options: either leave it out or enlist the help of artificial intelligence (AI). We have long been staunchly opposed to this, but now wish to embrace this technology – albeit in accordance with clear, strict and transparent rules. We are not seeking to replace journalists. Our aim is to make wise use of an existing tool. It is expressly not intended to replace journalistic work, but to assist with routine tasks so that we can devote more time to what you most enjoy reading about.
What we use AI for
We use AI where work is repetitive, routine and requires little journalistic judgement. You could say that what used to be prepared by an editorial intern or a junior journalist and handed over to the ‚old hands‘ is now partly done by a machine. An editor takes this output and works on it further.
- Simple, recurring reports: Weather forecasts, severe weather warnings or similar reports always follow the same pattern. They are based on official sources and data, such as from the Spanish meteorological service AEMET. We produce such reports using a semi-automated process: the AI converts the data into a readable format; an editor then takes over, finalises the report and ultimately approves it.
- Translation: Our content is published in German, Spanish and English. Machines assist us with the translations, whilst a human takes over, finalises them and approves them.
- Processing of sources: Many of our sources are in Spanish. These include, for example, official announcements, press releases or agency reports. AI helps us to get to grips with lengthy documents more quickly or to make official language more understandable. We verify every fact against the original source.
- Read-aloud function: You can have many articles read aloud to you. No editor spends an hour in a recording booth for this: the voice is generated by a machine.
- Proofreading: AI reads through a text a first time and spots typos. If it finds any, or any clumsy sentences or grammatical errors, it raises the alarm. This is expressly not a substitute for human proofreading. It simply ensures greater thoroughness. Our typo rate has fallen noticeably since then.
What we do with the time saved
Every hour we no longer spend typing out temperatures or searching for misplaced commas is put to good use: we devote it to tasks that no machine can or should perform:
- Research: We get to the bottom of issues. Because we want to explain what is happening and how it affects you in the Canary Islands. We research topics ranging from the housing crisis to water supply, and from migration to tourism.
- Talking to people: Local residents, experts, public authorities and those directly affected are vital sources. If you want to understand them or tell their stories, you have to talk to them. That is the foundation of this job. A good conversation cannot be automated.
- Putting things into context: We explain the significance of a news story. We want residents, winter visitors and holidaymakers to understand what a development, decision or situation really means for them.
- Commenting: We share our thoughts on major issues – always clearly labelled as opinion, of course.
A machine can process and prepare tomorrow’s weather forecast. The question of why rainfall patterns in Tenerife and elsewhere are changing must be understood and answered by people. Because AI is reactive; it relies on what it has learnt previously. That is why a major development should not be contextualised by a machine.
What AI doesn’t do here
There are clear boundaries. For example:
- AI does not make editorial decisions. The topics we cover, their prominence and the list of what we publish are based on human decisions.
- AI is not a source. Our articles are always based on verified original sources.
- AI does not write commentaries, reports or interviews. The machine may be able to compile and prepare material, but interpretation is reserved for humans. Always.
- AI does not invent quotes. If you read a statement in quotation marks, it was made by a human being. Without exception.
- Humans remain responsible. The editorial team stands behind every text that appears on our site. That’s a promise.
How to recognise when AI has been used
AI labelling: We include a note at the end of the text for articles that have been produced semi-automatically. The situation is different with spell-checking. You, too, would surely not label a letter to indicate that you’ve used your word processor’s spell-checker.
Images and videos: Where we show people, places or events, we use genuine images. Should we, in exceptional cases, use AI for illustrations, we will clearly indicate this.
Data and source protection: You can trust us. We take the protection of data and informants seriously. We do not disclose them to the authorities or to any software.
Your trust is our greatest asset, not technology
We make mistakes, with or without AI. If you spot one, please let us know. We will correct it and clearly flag it where necessary. We also learn from our mistakes.
Technology has developed at a breakneck pace in recent years. I therefore strongly expect that these guidelines will also change regularly. My promise: we will keep you informed here should any significant changes occur. What remains certain, however, is that behind Teneriffa News are people who know the Canary Islands and love telling you all about them.
You can always send us questions and comments via our contact page here.
Best regards and many thanks for your trust, says
Johannes Bornewasser
Editor of Teneriffa News