company

BBC (British Broadcasting Corporation)

Public Service Broadcasting / Media
ScorePending
Awaiting crowdsourced evidence
Confidence
ApplicationModerate
high
ImpactUnknown
low
OpennessUnknown
low
The BBC is a UK public service broadcaster actively piloting and integrating generative AI across content production, translation, subtitling, sports commentary, and audience-facing services, while maintaining a strongly articulated framework of human oversight and editorial accountability. The corporation has published formal AI principles, a Responsible AI Policy, and Editorial Guidance requiring human review of all AI-assisted content. In March 2025, BBC News announced a new AI department dedicated to delivering more personalised content. The BBC has also conducted and led significant research into AI assistant accuracy, finding systemic issues with AI-generated news summaries from major platforms including ChatGPT, Copilot, Gemini, and Perplexity.
Application
How is AI being used?
Moderate
high
Impact
How have people been affected?
Unknown
low
Openness
Company honesty about AI use.
Unknown
low
AI Tools & Platforms Detected
Microsoft CopilotAdobe FireflyGitHub CopilotChatGPT (OpenAI)RunwayIn-house fine-tuned open source LLM (BBC R&D)AI subtitling tools (BBC Sounds)AI translation tools (BBC Language Services)AI transcription tools (BBC Sport live commentaries)BBC Assistant (chatbot, in development)
AI Hiringmoderate
17AI roles/ 322 total
Programme Director, Generative AI (Pete Archer — named in press, not job posting)Head of AI Research, BBC R&D (Danijela Horak — named in press, not job posting)
Key Evidence (15)
BBC has run 12 generative AI pilot projects across three themes: maximising existing content value, new audience experiences, and operational efficiency
2024
web searchSource ↗
BBC is using AI tools to add subtitles to programmes on BBC Sounds including The Archers and The Today podcast, with the trial extended due to impressive accuracy
2024
web searchSource ↗
BBC is using AI to generate transcripts of live football commentaries, identify key moments, and publish as live text commentaries on BBC Sport app after journalist checks
2024
web searchSource ↗
BBC is using AI tools for much faster translations in its Language Services, with human checks applied
2024
web searchSource ↗
BBC is training teams to use Microsoft Copilot, Adobe Firefly, and GitHub Copilot
2024
web searchSource ↗
BBC R&D has been fine-tuning an open source LLM on proprietary BBC data for workflows, tone and style
2024-04-24
web searchSource ↗
What insider reports could clarify
  • Exact scope and scale of the new BBC News AI department announced in March 2025, including headcount and specific tools deployed
  • Whether the BBC Assistant (Bitesize chatbot) has launched publicly and what LLM underlies it
  • Details of the in-house fine-tuned LLM from BBC R&D: which open source model, training data scope, and production deployment status
  • Extent to which AI-generated personalised marketing content has been deployed to audiences
  • Whether any AI-generated content has bypassed or expedited human review in practice, despite policy requirements
  • Commercial agreements or licensing deals with AI vendors beyond Microsoft and Adobe
  • Internal employee sentiment on AI adoption and any union or editorial staff resistance
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