Are the Media Transparent in Their Use of AI? Self-Regulation and Ethical Challenges in Newsrooms in Spain

The integration of artificial intelligence (AI) into journalism is rapidly transforming the way news is produced, raising important questions about ethics, transparency, and professional standards. This study examines how Spanish journalists perceive and manage the use of AI in their work. A mixed methods research design is used, combining quantitative and qualitative approaches. The quantitative component consists of a survey administered to a sample of 50 journalists working in newsrooms in various Spanish provinces, selected by random sampling. The qualitative component involves eight in-depth interviews with journalists representing various perspectives on AI use. Although AI improves efficiency in news production, it also introduces ethical concerns, particularly about transparency, authorship, and content accuracy. In the absence of formal regulation, some media and scientific institutions have begun to develop self-regulation protocols. The findings reveal widespread use of AI tools among journalists, although a minority strongly opposes them. Most media outlets lack internal policies on AI use, leading to reliance on personal self-regulation. Transparency is a major concern, as AI involvement is rarely disclosed, raising issues of trust, intellectual property, and editorial responsibility. The lack of clear internal guidelines creates uncertainty and inconsistent practices. Journalists are calling for defined regulatory frameworks to ensure ethical and transparent integration of AI. Without transparency, audience trust can be eroded and journalistic integrity can be compromised.