Editorial Policy
aiautomatein publishes reporting, analysis, features and explanatory coverage on enterprise AI, automation, data and infrastructure, governance, security and the application of these technologies across industries.
This policy sets out the editorial standards used in selecting, researching, producing, reviewing, updating and correcting content published by aiautomatein.
Editorial formats may differ, but the underlying expectations remain consistent: information should be supportable, sources should be represented accurately, uncertainty should not be concealed, commercial interests should not determine editorial conclusions, and material allegations should receive an appropriate level of verification and scrutiny.
1. Accuracy and verification
Accuracy takes precedence over speed.
Material facts should be checked against sources appropriate to the subject before publication. Where practical, preference is given to primary material, including technical documentation, regulatory publications, standards, research papers, corporate filings, product documentation, official statements and direct disclosures from the organisations concerned.
A company statement, press release, demonstration or vendor benchmark may establish what an organisation claims. It does not, by itself, establish that the claim has been independently verified.
Information should be corroborated where the nature or significance of the claim warrants it.
Headlines, excerpts, captions, charts, social-media copy and other promotional descriptions should not materially overstate what the underlying reporting supports.
Where a fact cannot be established with sufficient confidence, the uncertainty should be stated or the claim should not be presented as established fact.
2. Sources and attribution
Readers should ordinarily be able to understand where significant information comes from.
Named sources are preferred where appropriate. Information materially derived from another publication, research organisation, company, regulator, academic institution or third party should be attributed.
Quotations should preserve the speaker’s intended meaning. Editing for length or clarity should not materially alter that meaning.
Links may be provided to source documents where useful, but a hyperlink does not replace appropriate attribution.
aiautomatein does not knowingly present another person’s reporting, research, analysis, language or original work as its own.
3. Anonymous and confidential sources
Anonymous sourcing should be used cautiously.
Information from an unnamed source should ordinarily be used only where:
- the source is reasonably positioned to know the information;
- there is a legitimate reason for withholding identity;
- the information has sufficient editorial value to justify anonymity; and
- the information has been assessed for credibility and, where appropriate, independently corroborated.
Descriptions of anonymous sources should provide useful context without unnecessarily revealing information that could identify a source whose confidentiality has been accepted.
Terms such as on the record, background, deep background or off the record should be understood by both parties before information is provided under those conditions.
Confidentiality should not be promised casually. Where it has been accepted, aiautomatein will take reasonable steps to honour that commitment, subject to applicable law and any overriding legal obligation.
4. Fairness and opportunity to respond
Coverage should represent material positions fairly.
Where reporting contains a serious allegation, questions the conduct of an identifiable person or organisation, or may cause significant reputational harm, reasonable efforts should ordinarily be made to seek a response before publication where practicable and journalistically appropriate.
The subject of reporting is not entitled to determine editorial conclusions or approve an article before publication.
Where useful, aiautomatein may verify quotations, technical facts or specific factual details with a source. Such verification does not give the source editorial control over the article.
If comment has been sought and no response is received within a reasonable period, the article may state that a response was requested.
5. Allegations, reputation and legal proceedings
Particular care should be taken with allegations concerning fraud, illegality, misconduct, security failures, regulatory breaches, professional wrongdoing or other matters capable of causing serious reputational harm.
An allegation should not be reported as established fact merely because another person or publication has made it.
Coverage should distinguish clearly between:
- allegations;
- complaints;
- investigations;
- regulatory findings;
- charges;
- court findings or judgments; and
- final outcomes.
Where a material allegation remains disputed, that status should be clear.
The Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita’s defamation provision expressly extends to imputations concerning companies and associations as well as individuals, which is one reason careful verification and attribution matter when reporting on identifiable organisations.
Where a proposed article raises unusual or material legal risk, aiautomatein may seek legal review before publication.
6. News, analysis, features and opinion
aiautomatein distinguishes between established fact, attributed claims, analysis and opinion.
News reporting should not present speculation as fact.
Analysis may draw conclusions from available evidence, but material assumptions and uncertainty should not be concealed.
Features may use a broader narrative or explanatory structure while remaining subject to the same standards of factual accuracy and attribution.
Guest commentary or opinion should be identified where there is a meaningful possibility that readers could mistake it for independent reporting.
7. Companies, products and vendor claims
Enterprise-technology reporting frequently relies on material supplied by vendors, customers, analysts, researchers and industry participants.
Vendor access does not constitute endorsement.
Claims relating to performance, adoption, savings, productivity, security, reliability, market position, return on investment or other measurable outcomes should be attributed unless independently established.
Benchmarks should be considered in the context in which they were produced, including methodology, test conditions, sample size and the interests of the organisation responsible for them.
Roadmap commitments, planned capabilities and forward-looking statements should be described according to their status at the time of publication.
Terms such as generally available, preview, beta, pilot, planned or announced should not be used interchangeably.
8. Research, statistics and forecasts
Statistics should be presented with enough context for readers to understand what they measure.
Where material to interpretation, coverage should consider:
- source;
- methodology;
- sample;
- geography;
- time period;
- definition of the measured population;
- assumptions; and
- limitations.
Forecasts, estimates and projections should be identified as such.
Market-size estimates, adoption projections and vendor-sponsored research should not be presented as independently established facts without appropriate attribution.
9. Corrections, clarifications and updates
Published material may be corrected or updated when more accurate or materially new information becomes available.
A substantive factual error should be corrected once it has been verified.
Where an error materially affected the meaning of an article, a correction note may be added so readers can understand what changed.
A clarification may be appropriate where the original statement was technically supportable but could materially mislead without additional context.
Articles may be updated as a story develops. Where an update substantially changes the factual account or conclusion, the change may be disclosed.
Minor corrections involving spelling, grammar, formatting, broken links or wording that does not alter meaning may be made without a formal correction notice.
Accuracy takes precedence over preserving the original wording of an article.
10. Editorial independence
Editorial judgment is separate from commercial activity.
Advertising, sponsorship, vendor relationships, events, partnerships, affiliate arrangements or other commercial interests should not determine the conclusions reached in independent editorial coverage.
Payment does not guarantee:
- favourable coverage;
- a positive review;
- inclusion in an editorial comparison;
- preferential ranking;
- suppression of legitimate reporting; or
- alteration of an independent editorial conclusion.
A commercial relationship with an organisation does not prevent aiautomatein from covering that organisation critically or independently.
Established publishers such as Reuters and AP similarly treat independence from commercial influence and conflicts of interest as core editorial safeguards.
11. Sponsored and commercial content
Advertising, sponsored content, partner content and other paid communications should be distinguishable from independent editorial content.
Where content has been created or published because of a commercial arrangement, appropriate labeling should be used where required or necessary to avoid misleading readers.
Sponsored content should not be presented as independently commissioned editorial reporting.
Commercial partners should not be given control over unrelated editorial coverage.
12. Reviews, comparisons and evaluations
Reviews and comparisons should make clear the basis on which technologies, products or approaches are being assessed.
Relevant factors may include:
- technical capability;
- architecture;
- integration;
- operating requirements;
- governance;
- security;
- cost;
- scalability;
- reliability;
- interoperability; and
- suitability for a particular enterprise environment.
The criteria used will depend on the subject.
No product, vendor or technology should receive favourable treatment because aiautomatein has received advertising revenue, sponsorship, free access, hospitality or another commercial benefit from its supplier.
Material limitations in testing conditions, available evidence or scope should be disclosed where necessary to understand the assessment.
13. Contributions and external submissions
aiautomatein may consider article proposals, research, datasets, commentary, announcements, contributed material and other submissions from vendors, agencies, practitioners, researchers and third parties.
Submission does not guarantee publication.
Material may be edited for accuracy, clarity, relevance, structure, length and compliance with editorial standards.
Promotional claims may be removed, qualified or attributed.
Submitted material should not be used to disguise advertising or promotional activity as independent editorial coverage.
Contributors remain responsible for ensuring that material they provide does not knowingly infringe third-party rights or contain false or unlawful representations.
14. Conflicts of interest
Writers, editors and contributors should disclose financial, professional, personal or other interests that could reasonably affect, or appear to affect, their independence on a subject.
Where a conflict is material to a reader’s assessment of an article and cannot reasonably be avoided, appropriate disclosure may be made.
Gifts, hospitality, travel, access or other benefits should not be accepted where they could reasonably be expected to influence editorial judgment.
Where aiautomatein accepts travel, access or other material support connected with coverage, disclosure may be provided where relevant.
15. Copyright and third-party material
aiautomatein respects copyright and other intellectual-property rights.
Third-party text, images, photographs, charts, screenshots, diagrams, video and other protected material should be used only where there is an appropriate licence, permission or lawful basis for the particular use.
Indian copyright law provides fair-dealing exceptions including criticism, review and reporting of current events, but those exceptions do not create an unrestricted right to reproduce third-party material.
Quotations should therefore be limited to what is reasonably necessary for the editorial purpose and attributed appropriately.
Substantial reproduction of another publisher’s work should be avoided unless authorised.
16. Images, graphics and synthetic media
Visual material should not knowingly create a materially false impression of an event, company, product, person or factual circumstance.
Charts and data visualisations should fairly represent the underlying data and should not use scales, omissions or presentation choices intended to distort material differences.
Illustrations, composites and AI-generated or synthetic visuals may be used where appropriate.
Where a realistic synthetic image could reasonably be mistaken for documentary photography or factual evidence, appropriate disclosure should be considered.
Material editorial alterations to documentary photographs should not change the factual meaning of the image.
17. Use of AI-assisted tools
aiautomatein may use AI-assisted tools in research, drafting, editing, analysis, transcription, data processing, visual production, workflow automation and other editorial processes.
AI output is not treated as authoritative merely because it has been produced by a model or automated system.
Material facts, quotations, statistics, citations and claims intended for publication should be checked against appropriate sources.
AI-generated citations or references should not be assumed to be genuine without verification.
Responsibility for published content remains with aiautomatein regardless of the tools used during production.
This approach is consistent with the principle used by Reuters that AI-assisted work remains subject to ordinary verification and editorial accountability.
18. Privacy and personal information
Personal information should be published only where there is a legitimate editorial reason proportionate to the significance of the information.
Private addresses, personal telephone numbers, personal email addresses, identity numbers, financial credentials and similar information should not ordinarily be published without a compelling and lawful reason.
Particular care should be taken where publication could create a foreseeable risk to an individual’s safety, security or privacy.
Information concerning children or vulnerable individuals requires additional editorial judgment.
Personal information collected through editorial or grievance processes should also be handled consistently with applicable privacy law and aiautomatein’s Privacy Policy.
19. Takedown, amendment and removal requests
Publication does not create an automatic entitlement to removal merely because an article later becomes unfavourable to a person or organisation.
Requests involving accuracy, copyright, privacy, safety, legal restrictions or other legitimate grounds will be assessed on their merits.
Depending on the circumstances, aiautomatein may:
- make no change;
- correct an error;
- add clarification;
- update an article;
- amend attribution or visual material;
- restrict access; or
- remove material where justified or legally required.
The value of preserving an accurate historical editorial record may also be considered.
20. External links
aiautomatein may link to third-party websites, reports, documentation, research or other external material where useful to readers.
A link does not necessarily constitute endorsement of the linked organisation, product, conclusion or content.
External pages may change after publication, and aiautomatein is not responsible for subsequent alterations made by third parties.
21. Reader comments and submitted material
Where comments or other reader submissions are permitted, the views expressed remain those of the contributor.
aiautomatein may moderate, restrict or remove content that is unlawful, defamatory, abusive, threatening, infringing, deceptive, promotional, irrelevant, spam or otherwise inappropriate for the publication.
Publication of a comment does not constitute editorial endorsement.
22. Complaints and grievances
Concerns relating to accuracy, attribution, privacy, copyright, editorial conduct or published material may be submitted through aiautomatein’s Grievance Redressal mechanism.
Where the applicable digital-media framework applies, aiautomatein will operate the required publisher-level grievance process in accordance with applicable law.
The current IT Rules provide a three-tier structure for covered publishers and require applicable publishers to observe the Code of Ethics.
23. Applicable editorial and legal standards
Where applicable to aiautomatein as a publisher of digital news and current-affairs content in India, the publication intends to operate consistently with the Code of Ethics under Part III of the Information Technology (Intermediary Guidelines and Digital Media Ethics Code) Rules, 2021, as amended.
The Code incorporates the Press Council of India’s Norms of Journalistic Conduct for news and current-affairs publishers covered by the Rules.
The Press Council’s framework emphasises restraint, responsibility and professional standards in reporting.
Nothing in this policy limits any duty arising under applicable law.
24. Editorial discretion
This policy provides the framework within which editorial decisions are made. It cannot anticipate every reporting circumstance.
aiautomatein may exercise reasonable editorial judgment in applying these standards to individual cases, taking account of the nature of the information, public interest, available evidence, legal obligations, safety and the circumstances in which the material was obtained.
Nothing in this policy creates a contractual right in favour of any reader, contributor, source, company or other third party, nor does it constitute a waiver of any right or remedy available to aiautomatein under applicable law.
25. Changes to this policy
This Editorial Policy may be revised from time to time to reflect changes in aiautomatein’s editorial operations, applicable law, regulatory requirements, professional standards or publishing practices.
The current version published on the website will apply from the date shown below.
26. Embargoes and pre-publication review
aiautomatein may agree to reasonable embargoes where the terms are clear before information is provided. Acceptance of an embargo does not give a source, company or public-relations representative the right to approve, rewrite or suppress independent editorial coverage.
Draft articles are not ordinarily provided to sources for approval before publication. aiautomatein may check quotations, technical details, figures or other specific facts with a source where doing so improves accuracy, provided that the process does not transfer editorial control to that source.
27. Payments for information
aiautomatein does not ordinarily pay sources, newsmakers or interview subjects for information, interviews, quotations or access. Payment for information can create conflicts that affect reliability and should not form part of routine editorial newsgathering.
Reasonable expenses connected with legitimate editorial work may be treated separately where appropriate, but such arrangements should not purchase favourable coverage or editorial influence.
28. Covert reporting and recording
aiautomatein ordinarily identifies itself when seeking information and does not use deception as a routine reporting method. Covert recording, concealed identity or similar techniques should be considered only where there is a substantial editorial justification, the information cannot reasonably be obtained by less intrusive means, and the method is lawful in the circumstances.
Recording of interviews or conversations should comply with applicable law and with any ground rules agreed with the participants.
29. Market-sensitive information and financial interests
Unpublished information obtained through editorial work must not be used for personal trading, investment decisions or other financial advantage. Writers and contributors should not trade on confidential or market-sensitive information obtained through their work for aiautomatein.
Where a writer has a material financial interest in a company, asset or subject being covered, the interest should be disclosed internally and, where necessary for readers to assess the coverage, publicly.
30. Leaked, confidential and embargoed material
The receipt of confidential, leaked or unauthorised material does not by itself establish that publication is warranted. aiautomatein should consider authenticity, provenance, relevance, legal restrictions, potential harm and the editorial value of the information before publication.
Where documents are central to a report, their authenticity and context should be assessed independently wherever practical. Material obtained from a third party should not be represented as verified merely because it appears genuine.
31. Security vulnerabilities and sensitive technical information
Coverage of cybersecurity, AI security and technical vulnerabilities should balance public-interest reporting with the risk of creating avoidable harm. Credentials, access tokens, private keys, personally identifying information or operational details that could materially facilitate misuse should not be published without a compelling editorial reason.
Where appropriate, aiautomatein may delay or limit publication of exploit details while a responsible party has a reasonable opportunity to address a vulnerability.
32. Sensitive subjects and vulnerable individuals
Additional care should be taken where reporting concerns children, vulnerable individuals, mental-health information, suicide, personal safety or other sensitive personal circumstances. The relevance of identifying information should be weighed against the foreseeable harm that publication could cause.
33. Press releases and supplied material
Press releases, vendor statements and supplied promotional material are source material, not finished editorial content. Their claims should be assessed, attributed and supplemented with independent context where appropriate before publication.
The wording of a press release should not be reproduced in a manner that causes promotional claims to appear as independent reporting.
Last updated: September 2026