English Wikipedia has banned the use of generative AI when writing or rewriting articles. The platform says it came to this decision because using AI to whip up copy “often violates several of Wikipedia’s core content policies.”
There are a couple of minor exceptions. Editors can use large language models (LLMs) to refine their own writing, but only if the copy is checked for accuracy. The policy states that this is because LLMs “can go beyond what you ask of them and change the meaning of the text such that it is not supported by the sources cited.”
Editors can also use LLMs to assist with language translation. However, they must be fluent enough in both languages to catch errors. Once again, the information must be checked for inaccuracies.
“My genuine hope is that this can spark a broader change. Empower communities on other platforms, and see this become a grassroots movement of users deciding whether AI should be welcome in their communities, and to what extent,” Wikipedia administrator Chaotic Enby wrote. The administrator also called the policy a “pushback against enshittification and the forceful push of AI by so many companies in these last few years.”
There is one thing worth noting. Wikipedia is not a monolith. Each Wikipedia site has its own independent rules and editing teams. Some may decide to embrace LLMs. However, others may go even further. Spanish Wikipedia, for instance, has fully banned the use of LLMs, with no exceptions for refinement or translation.
Also, identifying text written by LLMs is not an exact science so Wikipedia’s human moderators could miss some spots of slop every now and again. This is more likely on pages with less frequent moderation.
