Abstract
This article examines the use of artificial intelligence (AI) tools and the ethical norms governing their application in Kazakhstan's regional media. The everyday AI practices of Kazakh-language regional newsrooms, the language-related challenges they encounter, and the ethical decisions they make remain comparatively underexplored in the existing literature, which establishes the relevance of this study. The study aims to identify AI use practices in regional media in southern Kazakhstan and the professional, editorial, and ethical norms guiding this use. Following a qualitative research design, in-depth interviews were conducted with ten representatives of nine media organizations in southern Kazakhstan; participants were selected through purposive sampling, and the data were analyzed using qualitative content analysis. The findings show that nine of the ten respondents, representing eight media organizations, use AI tools in editorial work. The primary uses include translation, text editing, visual and video production, speech synthesis, and information search, with these tools enabling savings in time and resources. AI adoption varies across organizations, and implementation often depends on personal initiative, access to training, and the stance of newsroom leadership. Respondents share common ethical principles, including fact-checking, human responsibility, content labeling, text originality, and the preservation of the Kazakh language and national and cultural identity; nevertheless, none of the organizations studied has a written internal AI policy. The findings are interpreted through Diffusion of Innovations theory and Social Responsibility Theory of the Press and highlight the need for written AI policies, clear labeling procedures, human oversight, and accessible training for regional newsrooms. The impact of AI on regional media depends not only on the technology itself but also on newsroom resources, preparedness, and principles of professional responsibility.