Lusa provides a public service, which – according to the national agency’s Information Directorate – strictly subordinates any type of information gathering tool such as AI to the principles of rigor, clarity, independence, reliability of sources, and ensuring compliance with Lusa’s values, as defined in its statutes and in the ethics of journalism.

This Charter of Principles, composed of six points, recognises the relevant advantages of AI for the work of journalists, but proposes careful use of it, “ensuring that all information obtained is rigorous, imposing mandatory supervision.”

The agency “guarantees that it will promote an open and transparent debate on the advantages and disadvantages of these tools.”

Lusa currently uses AI tools for transcription, translation and subtitling.

The Charter is structured around key ideas: human supervision (of all content), transparency (informing about the use of AI), total exclusion of images generated by AI, respect for privacy, particular attention to the risk of bias (incorporated into the tools) and individual responsibility (each person must act ethically and with integrity).

The full Charter can be consulted here - https://www.lusa.pt/Files/lusamaterial/PDFs/CTA_PRINCIPIOS_IA_LUSA.pdf.