the406.news uses AI as a newsroom tool, transparently. This page explains exactly how, and where the line is.
What the AI does
An in-house assistant we call Bridger drafts routine articles from primary sources, press releases, and public records, in our house style. It also helps process public data. Articles that were drafted with AI assistance are labeled “AI-assisted” on the page; articles reported by a person are labeled “Staff reported.” Each article also shows the source it came from.
What a human always does
A human editor is accountable for everything we publish. Every political release is held for human review before it can go live, and any story with significant uncertainty is held or drafted for review rather than published automatically. Only routine, well-sourced, factual items (such as scheduled road closures and sports results) publish automatically at high confidence, and they remain subject to our corrections policy.
What the AI does not do
It does not invent quotes, sources, or facts. It does not decide what is true by itself — consequential claims are verified against primary sources, and unverified claims are held. It does not set editorial positions; opinion runs only under a labeled opinion tag.
Why we do it this way
AI lets a small Montana newsroom cover more of what happens here, faster. Doing it responsibly means disclosure, human accountability, visible sourcing, and a willingness to correct the record. If you ever think we've fallen short of that, tell us — see corrections.