SBS Guiding Principles for Use of Artificial Intelligence

SBS is Australia’s most diverse broadcaster, providing television, radio and digital media services to inspire all Australians to explore, respect and celebrate our diverse world, and in doing so, contribute to an inclusive and cohesive society, as set out in our Charter.

SBS welcomes the opportunities presented by artificial intelligence (AI) to enhance and expand our services for all Australians, including by making them more accessible. At the same time, SBS recognises that AI carries clear risks which must be carefully managed to uphold and safeguard SBS’s content integrity and editorial standards, and in turn audience trust.

Our approach to the use of AI in content production 

SBS has established a value system of audience trust, content integrity and editorial standards to guide its approach to the responsible use of AI, always with a view to amplifying our services to, and engaging with, the Australian community under its Charter.

SBS has conducted substantial groundwork to develop a framework that is not only ethical and secure, but remains true to SBS’s role as a trusted, inclusive and public-spirited broadcaster serving diverse Australian audiences.

SBS’s approach to the use of AI not only reflects technological advancement, but ensures it continues to explore the benefits of AI responsibly, while preserving editorial independence, cultural integrity and audience transparency.

This value system is at the heart of SBS’s three guiding principles for the use of AI in our original content:

  1. AI is an assistant – we will retain human control and oversight over SBS’s AI processes to ensure our output is trustworthy, authentic and distinctively SBS, especially for news and factual content.
  2. Security comes first – we will protect personal, sensitive and/or confidential audience and corporate data from AI misuse, interference and loss, by applying security safeguards as we do with any technology tool or application.
  3. AI serves our Strategic Goals – we will carefully choose if, when and how we use AI at SBS. This means that any decision to use AI will consider whether it ultimately serves our purpose, our people and, most importantly, our audiences. We will also be transparent about how we use AI, especially for news and factual content, and only use AI in a way that respects and enhances human creativity.

How is AI used at SBS? 

SBS may use AI in its original content to assist with a range of tasks, including transcription, translation, summarising or editing, always following the three guiding principles.

SBS’s use of AI will have human oversight to ensure content integrity and meet SBS’s editorial standards. Human oversight will include senior editorial approvals if the original content produced includes any significant use of AI, particularly images, video and audio.

SBS welcomes and invites feedback, suggestions and questions about any aspect of our content or services. Comments and general feedback about SBS’s content and services can be made by contacting SBS here.

 

 

 

Updated 19/06/2025 - Version 1