New York Times explains how it decides to cover viral AI images

In short: The New York Times outlined how its newsroom decides whether viral AI generated images and videos are actually worth reporting on.

What's going on

The New York Times published a discussion on October 21, 2026, about a growing newsroom problem. The internet is now full of AI generated images and videos, including ones that look real but are not. The question is which of these posts deserves news coverage.

Reporter Stuart A. Thompson said the main test is whether an article helps readers understand something important. He said it is not enough to simply write a story that says a viral image is fake. Instead, reporting should look into who created it, why they made it, and who benefits or gets hurt.

The discussion included Thompson, deputy editor Isha Khan, and Mark Scheffler, who leads the Times Visual Investigations team. Their point was that a single striking or deceptive picture is often not a story by itself. It becomes news when it connects to a bigger issue, like how a campaign is trying to influence voters, or how new rules might be needed.

What to watch

More news outlets are likely to publish clearer standards for covering AI fakes, especially during elections and major crises. For readers, it may help to think of a viral image like a suspicious tip. It only becomes useful once a reporter can answer basic questions about where it came from and what it is trying to do.

Source: NYTimes