AI’s influence is growing in editorial and media fields, prompting websites to set usage guidelines. Recently, Wikipedia prohibited its editors from using AI-generated text, though it didn’t fully ban AI in its editorial processes.
A recent policy adjustment specifies that “using LLMs to generate or rewrite article content is prohibited,” refining earlier, less specific guidance which stated that LLMs “should not be used to create new Wikipedia articles from scratch.”
AI’s role in Wikipedia entries is debated among the site’s vast volunteer editor community. According to 404 Media, the new policy, voted on by editors, passed with significant support, 40 to 2.
However, the policy allows some AI use in editorial tasks. Editors may use LLMs for “basic copyedits” on their writing, incorporating changes after human review, as long as the LLM doesn’t introduce new content. The policy warns that LLMs might alter text meaning beyond the cited sources.