October 6, 2025
Ethical Use of Artificial Intelligence (AI) for Research, Teaching, and Professionalism
Whereas, journalism and mass communication practices are guided by the ethical standards of accountability, transparency, minimization of harm, expertise, and independence; and
Whereas, journalism and mass communication educators are responsible for maintaining high standards for education, fostering communication research, contributing to a better-informed public, and upholding freedom of communication; and
Whereas, as part of their Professional Freedom and Responsibility, AEJMC members are obligated to engage in ethical and responsible research, teaching, and professionalism; and
Whereas, journalism and mass communication educators must safeguard academic freedom, inclusivity, and equitable professional and student learning outcomes when integrating AI tools; and
Whereas, common practices for artificial intelligence (AI) use for research, teaching, and professionalism include:
- Maintaining originality and control over generative AI use by incorporating it as a tool, not a replacement, and not exclusively depending on the content created by the generative AI.
- Clearly explaining the rationale for AI use, the processes used when engaging with AI tools, and the outcomes of AI use.
- Transparently disclosing if, when, and how generative AI has been used for research, teaching, or professional practice.
- Actively avoiding acts of plagiarism, misinformation, bias, privacy violations, and copyright breaches that could occur through generative AI use.
- Critically evaluating all generative AI outputs for bias, error, or validity. Assessing for and correcting errors or “hallucinations” diligently.
- Cross-checking generative AI content against primary and secondary sources and edit until it reflects accurate, original thinking.
- Ensuring human oversight and accountability through all AI-assisted project stages. All AI outputs must undergo human expert review prior to release. Final decisions stay with people.
- Adhering to the standards of the AEJMC mission statement and professional codes of conduct (i.e. SPJ or PRSA Codes of Ethics) to guide one’s ethical and responsible generative AI use.
Now, therefore, be it resolved that AEJMC and its membership go on record supporting the responsible and ethical use of artificial intelligence (AI) as listed above; and
Be it further resolved that as the nation's largest organization of college journalism and mass communication educators, AEJMC urges its members in their teaching, research, and service to uphold responsible and ethical standards of artificial intelligence use.
CONTACT:
Samantha Higgins, AEJMC Communications Director, 803-798-0271
Association for Education in Journalism and Mass Communication (AEJMC)
The Association for Education in Journalism and Mass Communication (AEJMC) is a nonprofit scholarly organization with more than 2,000 members in about 40 countries who teach and research journalism, public relations, advertising, digital media, film, and media literacy. Founded in 1912, AEJMC is the oldest and largest alliance of communication educators and administrators at the college level. AEJMC’s mission is to promote the highest possible standards for journalism and mass communication education, to encourage the broadest possible range of communication research, to promote the implementation of a multicultural society in the classroom and curriculum, and to defend and maintain freedom of communication in an effort to achieve better professional practice, a better-informed public, and wider human understanding.
AEJMC 2025 Resolutions