New ASP program offers an affordable, trusted scientific seal as generative AI reshapes science communication
January 5, 2026 — Phoenix, Arizona
Today at the 247th Meeting of the American Astronomical Society taking place this week in Phoenix, AZ, the Astronomical Society of the Pacific (ASP) unveiled the ASP Gen AI Astronomy Video Certification — the first independent certification program designed to verify the scientific accuracy, integrity, and transparency of AI-generated astronomy videos shared online.
As generative artificial intelligence rapidly accelerates the creation of science content across social media platforms, classrooms, and streaming services, the challenge facing science communicators is no longer simply visibility — it is credibility. AI tools can now produce visually compelling astronomy videos at unprecedented speed and scale, often blurring the line between accurate explanation and persuasive error.
“AI has dramatically lowered the barrier to creating visually compelling science videos — but not the barrier to being scientifically correct,” said Chris Ford, Chief Operating Officer of the Astronomical Society of the Pacific. “The danger isn’t malicious misinformation. It’s believable misinformation. The ASP Gen AI Astronomy Video Certification exists to protect public trust in science at the moment when trust is most vulnerable.”
The announcement comes at the American Astronomical Society’s 247th meeting where thousands of astronomers gather to share new discoveries about the cosmos and increasingly to confront how those discoveries are communicated to the public in an AI-driven media environment.
Why certification
Subtle inaccuracies in scale, timing, causality, or interpretation can now spread rapidly when confidently narrated and algorithmically amplified — often without viewers realizing anything is wrong. In an online ecosystem saturated with AI-generated content, creators who care deeply about getting the science right face a new challenge: how to signal credibility to audiences, educators, and platforms.
“For creators, the question is no longer just ‘Will people watch this?’ but ‘Can people trust this?’” Ford said. “Our certification mark gives responsible creators a way to stand out — not by being louder, but by being right.”
Videos that earn ASP certification may display the ASP Gen AI Astronomy Certification mark, signaling that the content has been independently reviewed by astronomy experts and meets evidence-based scientific standards.
Built for creators
ASP designed the certification to be accessible from the start. The cost is $5 per minute of video, a price point intentionally chosen to ensure that independent creators, students, educators, and early-career science communicators can participate — not just large studios or well-funded channels.
“This is not about gatekeeping creativity,” said Vivian White, Director of Free Choice Learning at ASP. “It’s about giving educators, families, and learners a simple signal they can trust. When someone sees the ASP mark, they know the science holds up — regardless of how the video was made.”
At this price point, a typical short-form astronomy video can be reviewed for roughly the cost of a cup of coffee, while earning a visible credential that distinguishes responsible science communication in an increasingly crowded algorithm-driven landscape.
How ASP certification works
Creators submit AI-generated astronomy videos to ASP via AstroVerify for review against a transparent rubric developed by ASP’s staff of astronomers and educators. To earn certification, videos must demonstrate:
- Scientific accuracy aligned with current, peer-reviewed understanding
- Clear sourcing and traceability to authoritative references
- Responsible visualizations, avoiding misleading scale, time, or causality
- Transparency about AI use, ensuring viewers understand how the content was created
Videos that meet all criteria earn the ASP Gen AI Astronomy Certification mark, which creators may display directly in their certified videos that they upload to various social media platforms.
“The challenge of AI-generated science content isn’t fundamentally new,” said Shanil Virani, Cosmic Engagement Specialist at ASP and lead architect of the certification program. “Every generation invents new ways to tell science stories. What’s new is the scale, speed, and confidence with which incorrect information can now spread. ASP’s role has always been to meet moments like this — when the tools change, but the responsibility to truth does not.”
AstroVerify is in beta and will be broadly available to content creators by the end of the month. Follow ASP on social media for launch updates.
About the ASP
The Astronomical Society of the Pacific (ASP), established in 1889, is a 501c3 nonprofit organization whose mission is to use astronomy to increase the understanding and appreciation of science and to advance science and science literacy. The ASP connects scientists, educators, amateur astronomers and the public together to learn about astronomical research, improve astronomy education, and share resources that engage learners of all kinds in the excitement and adventure of scientific discovery. Current ASP programs and initiatives support college faculty, K-12 science teachers, amateur astronomy clubs, science museums, libraries, park rangers, and Girl Scouts to name a few.
Through its annual awards, ASP recognizes achievement in research, technology, education, and public outreach. The awards include the ASP’s highest honor, the Catherine Wolfe Bruce Gold Medal, awarded since 1898 for a lifetime of outstanding research in astronomy. The Bruce Medal has gone to some of the greatest astronomers of the past century, including Arthur Eddington, Edwin P. Hubble, Subrahmanyan Chandrasekhar, and Vera Rubin. The ASP also presents the Klumpke-Roberts Award for outstanding contributions to the public understanding and appreciation of astronomy. Awardees include Carl Sagan, Isaac Asimov, and the Hubble Heritage Project.
For more information, visit our website at astrosociety.org/awards
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Contact: Amy Imhoff
Digital Brand Director
Astronomical Society of the Pacific
390 Ashton Avenue
San Francisco, CA 94112
Email: aimhoff@astrosociety.org
