It was always thought of as the gold standard but the truth is it never was.
They always pushed their agenda spiking and misrepresenting stories to suit their leftist political agenda.
It is only now that we have the new media to catch and call them on their lies and misinformation.
I know it probably dates me but I remember when the AP was a straight news outfit. I very nearly went to work for them in the mid 1970s but changed careers and left the scribbling profession.