At Wochenfokus, we use artificial intelligence and automation only as tools to support our human journalists – never to replace them. Every published piece is reviewed, approved and ultimately owned by a named editor. Our AI & Automation Policy explains how these tools operate within our newsroom and what guarantees our readers can rely on.
How does Wochenfokus use AI and automation?
AI-assisted tools may support research, drafting, editing, formatting, translation, metadata generation, headline options, summaries and transcription. These tools help our team work more efficiently, but they never make editorial decisions or determine the final content.
For example, a reporter might use an AI tool to summarise a long government report or to check the consistency of a translation. An editor may use automated formatting to ensure uniform layout. All such use is supervised by a human who verifies the output for accuracy, context and tone. The final judgment – including whether to publish, amend or discard material – rests solely with a staff member.
What are the strict prohibitions?
AI must never fabricate quotes, sources, interviews, bylines, author experience or expert profiles. No automated tool may generate content that impersonates a real person or invents data. Our editorial team is explicitly trained to reject any output that cannot be independently verified.
We prohibit using AI to create opinion pieces, political analysis or investigative reports without direct human authorship. Sponsored or commercial content labelled as produced by a named writer must be written by that writer, not by a machine. AI may assist with language polishing, but the substantive argument and factual backbone must come from a journalist.
What you can expect from us
Every article on Wochenfokus is drafted by a named writer, reviewed by an editor and fact-checked before publication. Our human guarantee means that no AI-generated output appears on the site unless a qualified journalist has approved it for accuracy, fairness and editorial standards.
We maintain a clear audit trail: each piece includes the author’s byline and the editor who oversaw it. If automated tools were used in the process, that fact is recorded internally but does not change the human accountability. Our Chief Editor Oliver Böhm is ultimately responsible for upholding this standard across all content.
Who is responsible for what we publish?
Oliver Böhm, Chefredaktör, oversees all editorial standards, publication decisions and corrections. He can be reached at anders.lindqvist@wochenfokus.de. Our fact-checking lead Birgit Weiß (emma.sandberg@wochenfokus.de) is responsible for source verification and handling correction requests.
The broader editorial team – including Redaktionschef Anna Heinrich, Politikredaktör Martin Bergmann, Wirtschaftreporter Helena Braun and Kultur- och samhällsredaktör Patrick Werner – each ensure that AI tools are used only as aids within their beats. They review all machine-assisted work and maintain the same rigour required for entirely human-produced journalism.
How does this policy relate to our other editorial standards?
Our AI & Automation Policy is part of a broader framework that also governs our editorial policy, fact-checking procedures and correction policy. Readers can find details at /editorial-policy/, /fact-checking-policy/ and /corrections-policy/.
We also publish an advertising and affiliate disclosure that explains how commercial relationships are kept separate from editorial content – a separation that extends to any AI‑enhanced material. Together these policies ensure that automation never undermines the trustworthiness readers expect from a publication owned by Donau Media OÜ, registered in Gibraltar.
Questions or concerns?
If you have any questions about how we use AI and automation, or if you believe content may have been published without adequate human oversight, please contact our editorial team at editorial@wochenfokus.de or use the contact page. For specific correction or fact‑check requests, write to corrections@wochenfokus.de or factcheck@wochenfokus.de. We will respond promptly and transparently.