Editorial and AI image policy
Archive originals and AI treatments
AI-colourised images are modern treatments of identified monochrome originals. Colour, texture and fine detail can be inferred or altered by the tool. Use the original image and collection record to establish what the historical photograph shows. Any wholly generated illustration must carry a distinct AI-generated illustration label and stay separate from the archival photo gallery.
Review before publication
- Confirm the holding institution, accession number, date or date range, place, caption and reuse status against the item record. Preserve uncertainty and use independent sources for historical claims that go beyond the record.
- Compare the colourised image with the original at full size. Check faces, people and objects, uniforms, insignia, lettering, equipment and the background. Reject material changes to what is depicted. Leave uncertain colours subdued and describe them as interpretive.
- Keep a review record with the original URL, rights statement, reviewer, date, tool and unresolved discrepancies. Publish with a clear AI disclosure at first exposure, an original link and source credit. Carry the disclosure into social posts and shared copies. Preserve original provenance metadata where available.
Review of the demonstration images
The three demonstration images were visually compared with their source photographs and checked against the Australian War Memorial catalogue for the event or subject and accession number. The review did not authenticate the added colours or every fine detail. The original images are available in the Colour Gallery.
Corrections
Send the page address, the detail in question and a source if available. Where a material error is confirmed, the archive will correct, annotate or withdraw the item and date substantive corrections.