The BBC has set out new rules for applying AI to shows 

As the generative AI boom has accelerated over the past couple of years, indies have grappled with questions over how they can and should use the technology in production, development and on screen, with many calling on broadcasters to offer guidance on the issue.  

Yesterday, the BBC published its long-awaited new guidelines for producers around when and how generative AI can be used on shows.  

The guidelines have been set after a period of experimentation at the broadcaster, which is now rolling out the technology with the aim to create new audience experiences, speed up internal processes and maximise the value of existing content. 

The central principle of the guidance is that audiences should never feel misled about where and how AI is being applied.  

Within that, here are seven key things set out in the new guidance: 

  1. Transparency is king. The BBC has stressed it wants to not only build audience trust but also help audiences understand the role that AI plays in its content. Therefore, it must always be made clear where AI is being used. Disclosure can be done in a number of ways, depending on the application.  

  1. Generative AI must not be used for creating content for news or current affairs stories or for factual research - this is because it can draw its information from sources across the internet, some of which are inaccurate or misleading, which could lead to misinformation being folded into truthful material.  

  1. The BBC has appointed an AI steering group, chaired by nations director Rhodri Talfan Davies, with a broad range of members from across different divisions. The group will have broad oversight of the whole organisation’s use of AI. 

  1. Meanwhile ‘AI representatives’, which have been appointed across different teams, will advise on the application of editorial policy on a case-by-case basis.  

  1. The BBC is taking a cautious approach to using AI on programmes, and any application must have a good reason, such as helping audiences understand something.  

  1. Producers will find a new box dedicated to gen AI in commissioning specification forms. They can have early conversations about how and why they want to use it with commissioners, who will then consult internally on editorial policy as appropriate. 

  1. The BBC is ramping up the use of gen AI to generate subtitles and live text pages and for translation purposes, and is rolling out AI tools Microsoft Copilot, Adobe Firefly and GitHub Copilot. 

Read more about the BBC’s approach to gen AI in Broadcast’s exclusive interview with AI leads Rachel Jupp and Peter Archer. 

Topics