Channel 4 sets out AI principles

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.