UK broadcaster Channel 4 has unveiled an AI Mission Statement that explains the principles that will govern its use of the technology.
The AI principles were announced by outgoing C4 CEO Alex Mahon in a LinkedIn post, who said: “AI is a huge opportunity — but only if we build it with integrity.”
Mahon picked out a number of points from the mission statement including the following:
- AI should serve people, not replace them. Human creativity is non-negotiable.
- We’re using AI to empower our teams — not just automate, but elevate.
- We won’t use AI to mislead, discriminate, or erode trust. That’s critical — especially for Gen Z, who demand transparency and integrity.
- We also want to see the introduction of a trustmark — a clear signal of factual, trusted accuracy for content from professionally produced, regulated media.
- We urgently need regulation to protect UK creatives. LLMs can’t be allowed to strip value from world-class British content.
Elsewhere in the mission statement, C4 said it was using Microsoft’s Copilot AI Assistant to help with everyday tasks like meeting minutes, document summaries and presentation support.
It is also testing the effectiveness of an AI tool from Prime Focus, its broadcast distribution partner, to auto-review footage and flag potential compliance issues across some acquired shows.
It is working with Adobe AI to help create and scale the number of marketing assets produced.
C4 also said it is trialling, transparently, the use of AI in its programming to disguise anonymous interviews and reconstruct events, as well as using it at the centre of new programme formats like The Honesty Box.
You are not signed in
Only registered users can comment on this article.
Macquarie to sell Arqiva stake for £16.5m
Macquarie Asset Management has agreed to the sale of its 26.5% stake in broadcast infrastructure firm Arqiva for £16.5m.
Banijay UK beefs up in-house post operations
Banijay UK will increase its in-house post-production capabilities by launching new facilities in London, doubling capacity in Glasgow, and investing in Manchester.
Spain’s LaLiga agrees €5.25bn football rights with Telefónica and DAZN
Spanish football league LaLiga has agreed a new set of domestic media contracts for more than €5.25bn, with Telefónica and DAZN retaining rights from 2027 to 2032.
BBC remains popular but “must take a firmer grip” in crises, says Ofcom
Despite funding pressures and a rapidly changing media landscape, the BBC remains popular with audiences, with 83% of UK adults using its services weekly, according to media regulator Ofcom.
TikTok and YouTube trigger influencer boom among older audiences
Older internet users are fuelling the growth of influencer videos, according to new research from Ampere Analysis, which shows that half of 55- to 64-year-olds now watch influencer content every week.
