BBC Adopts Generative AI, Setting Firm Ground Rules

The BBC, a principal news entity in the UK, has articulated its intent to evaluate and adopt Generative Artificial Intelligence in its operations, all while adhering to a stringent set of principles to protect public interest and the veracity of its journalistic efforts.

Rhodri Talfan Davies, the BBC’s Director of Nations, emphasised the profound capabilities of Gen AI, stating, “The new tools can generate text, images, speech, music, and video in response to prompts from a user.” He affirmed that the BBC perceives this innovative technology as a conduit to “deepen and amplify our mission” to bring enhanced value to audiences and society at large.
 

Three Pillars Guiding Gen AI Use

 
Davies conveyed that the organisation has crafted three guiding principles that will navigate its venture into incorporating Gen AI:

Public Interests at the Forefront – The BBC aspires to harness Gen AI to amplify their public mission and offer augmented value to audiences, while concurrently addressing issues like trust, copyright protection, and content findability. “We will also seek to work with the tech industry, media partners, and regulators to champion safety and transparency in the development of Gen AI and protection against social harms,” Davies mentioned.
 

 
Preserving Talent and Creativity – Asserting an unwavering commitment to human creativity and storytelling, the BBC assures that technology will not replace the authentic stories crafted by their skilled reporters, writers, and broadcasters. Davies made it clear that “Creators and suppliers play a vital role in our industry.”

Transparency and Openness – Trust remains pivotal in the BBC’s relationship with its audience. Therefore, it plans to be straightforward and transparent, particularly when incorporating Gen AI into content and services. Human supervision will remain pivotal in the publication of Gen AI content, ensuring accountability and upholding the robustness of research and output.
 

Projects on the Horizon and Safeguarding Content

 
In a determined stride to comprehend the multifaceted aspects of Gen AI, the BBC will inaugurate various projects that scrutinise its use in both content creation and operational workflows. This endeavour aims to meticulously understand the benefits and perils that Gen AI might bring across diverse facets like journalism, production, content findability, and archiving.

An equally big move made by the BBC is to protect its content from unauthorised data scraping by Gen AI models. They have prevented web crawlers, such as those deployed by OpenAI and Common Crawl, from accessing BBC websites to defend the interests of licence fee payers and maintain content integrity. “Training AI models with BBC data without our permission is not in the public interest,” BBC clearly stated.
 

Reflecting on the Broader Media Industry

 
While navigating its path through Gen AI adoption, the BBC is also paying close attention to how Gen AI could shape the broader media industry. This includes understanding the influence of Gen AI on search engines, potential shifts in website traffic, and how the use of Gen AI by other entities might contribute to spreading disinformation.

In conjunction with its internal expertise, especially from the BBC R&D and Product teams, the organisation is poised to harness, evaluate, and apply Gen AI in a manner that aligns with its mission, values, and commitment to its audience and society.

The BBC’s foray into the domain of Gen AI offers a sneak peak into a world where technological advancements, ethical considerations, and journalistic integrity intersect. And while the intersection of technology and media perpetually brings new facets to navigate, the BBC remains steadfast in prioritising public interest, human talent, and transparency as it ventures into the new terrains that Generative AI brings to the media industry.