Newsroom Robots

In this special episode of Newsroom Robots, host Nikita Roy steps into the spotlight to answer your pressing questions about AI. Recorded during a session with the Online News Association (ONA), this episode covers a range of topics, from ethical considerations in AI-generated content to practical tools that can elevate your work.

1. Perplexity - A generative AI search engine that provides quick insights on any topic.
2. Wobby - A data journalism tool that connects to open datasets, where you can ask questions in plain language and get clear AI-generated insights, reports, and visualizations
3. OpusClip - Converts long-form videos into short, engaging clips for social media, ideal for repurposing content.
4. YESEO - A Slack-based AI tool for generating headline suggestions and SEO metadata, widely used in local newsrooms.
5. Google's Pinpoint - A tool for investigative journalists using AI to search through massive amounts of documents, including handwritten ones.
6. Natural Reader - An AI tool that reads text aloud with natural-sounding voices, perfect for those who prefer listening over reading.
7. Whimsical AI - Creates diagrams and visualizations from your data inputs directly within ChatGPT.
8. Elicit & Consensus - AI-powered search engines for academic research, useful for journalists covering specialized beats like health and science.
9. Nota - A versatile tool for creating SEO content, summarizing articles, and even converting articles into videos.
10. GPT for Sheets and Docs, Claude for Sheets - These tools bring AI directly into your Google Docs and Sheets, enabling you to draft, edit, and generate insights without leaving your document or spreadsheet.

If you're interested in learning more about how AI is being implemented in newsrooms, sign up to receive a series of case studies on AI and journalism, researched and written by Nikita in collaboration with the Online News Association.

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Rep. Anna Eshoo (D-Calif.), co-chair of the U.S. Congressional AI Caucus and one of Time magazine's 100 most influential people in AI, shares her perspective on the opportunities and risks of AI with host Nikita Roy.

With over three decades of experience in the U.S. House of Representatives representing parts of Silicon Valley, Rep. Eshoo has been a leading voice on technology and its implications. Her long-standing engagement with tech policy provides a unique perspective on the current AI revolution.

Key topics discussed in this episode include:

• The growing concern over AI models training on news content without compensation.
• The challenge of combating misinformation in the age of generative AI.
• Bipartisan efforts in Congress aimed at democratizing AI.
• Addressing the threat of job displacement and evolving societal frameworks to keep pace with rapid technological advancements.

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Natali Helberger, Professor of Law and Digital Technology at the University of Amsterdam, joins host Nikita Roy to explore the complex ethical landscape of AI in journalism. In this conversation, they discuss everything from recommendation algorithms and filter bubbles to the EU AI Act and the future of responsible AI adoption in media.

Recognized as one of the "100 brilliant women in AI ethics" to follow worldwide, Helberger is also the co-founder of the AI Media and Democracy lab at the University of Amsterdam. Her research focuses on how AI and algorithms are transforming society and the media, with implications for law and governance. Helberger chairs the Council of Europe Expert Group on AI and Freedom of Expression and serves on the advisory board of the Reuters Institute for Journalism at Oxford. She regularly advises national and European policymakers, including the European Commission, European Parliament, and UNESCO. 

Key topics include:

• The ethical challenges of AI-driven personalization in news
• The importance of audience inclusion and feedback in AI systems for news
• The limitations of simply labeling content as "AI-generated" and the need for more meaningful transparency
• An analysis of the EU AI Act and its implications for media companies

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Garance Burke, a global investigative journalist at the Associated Press, joins host Nikita Roy to discuss the crucial role of journalism in holding AI systems accountable and the challenges reporters face in covering this complex topic. 

Burke, a global investigative journalist with The Associated Press, has been at the forefront of investigating the power and impact of AI technologies on society. Her data-driven reporting has prompted federal investigations, cabinet-level resignations, and congressional hearings. Burke's Pulitzer Prize-finalist work inspired an Emmy-winning documentary with FRONTLINE PBS. As a 2020 Human-Centered Artificial Intelligence-John S. Knight Journalism Fellow at Stanford, she researched algorithms in government decision-making. Burke also led the development of the AI chapter in the AP Stylebook,  which provides journalists with best practices for covering AI models. 

Key topics include:

• Investigating algorithmic bias and the data behind AI systems
• Strategies for reporting on AI's deployment and performance
• Educating the public on AI biases and impacts on democratic processes
• The need for balanced and informative reporting on AI to avoid hype 
• AI's Impact on Elections and Voter Manipulation

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Ole Reissmann, Director of AI at Der Spiegel, joins host Nikita Roy to discuss how the legacy German news organization is harnessing AI to enhance their journalism and streamline newsroom workflows.

The episode explores Der Spiegel's initiatives to integrate AI into various aspects of its operations, from automating routine tasks like SEO title generation and fact-checking to developing audience-facing AI products, such as a browser plugin and audio article updates. Ole also shares insights on building an automated gender report using AI and the value of collaboration among German news organizations in advancing AI initiatives.

Topics discussed include:

• Fostering a Culture of AI Experimentation in the Newsroom
• Exploring Audience-Facing AI Products
• Testing and Prototyping AI Products
• Building Foundations for Future AI Projects
• Enhancing User Experience and Personalizing Content with AI
• Building an AI-powered gender report
• Collaborating with German news organizations on AI initiatives
• Personal experiments with AI and lessons learned

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Jaemark Tordecilla, Nieman Fellow at Harvard University, joins host Nikita Roy to discuss the potential of using custom GPTs for journalistic purposes. Jaemark is the former editor-in-chief and senior assistant vice president of News and Public Affairs at GMA News, the Philippines' leading digital news organization.  

For the past year as a Nieman Fellow, Jaemark has been pushing the boundaries of what's possible with custom GPTs – personalized versions of ChatGPT that can be tailored with specific instructions, knowledge, and capabilities to serve a particular purpose or task.

In this episode, Jaemark shares his experiences creating custom GPTs like the COA Beta Assistant to summarize dense government audit reports. He dives into how custom GPTs can streamline processes across the journalism value chain - from data analysis and visualization to content creation and fact-checking.  

The episode explores the ease of building these AI tools without coding, integrating custom knowledge bases, and leveraging advanced capabilities like image recognition.  

Nikita and Jaemark also discuss real-world use cases, the power of democratizing access to AI for smaller newsrooms, and navigating the limitations of these models.

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Adrian Gill, the founder and CEO of Ad Hoc Industries and the former creative director of the Harvard Innovation Labs, joins host Nikita Roy to explore the transformative impact of AI, especially image generation tools, on the creative design industry.

Gill brings a wealth of knowledge in creative direction, strategy, and brand management from his career, which includes serving as the Vice President for PUMA's $1.8B Global Footwear Division. His expertise spans across industries, from leading a global brand campaign for Barbados Tourism featuring Rihanna to producing innovative film content for VMware to simplify software virtualization.

In this episode, Adrian and Nikita explore: 

• How to enhance design workflows and speed up the ideation process with AI.
• How AI tools to discover innovative design solutions and expand creative boundaries.
• The role of AI in visual storytelling and its synergy with human creativity.
• Ethical considerations and responsible AI practices in design.
• Strategies for designers and creatives to remain competitive in an AI-driven landscape.

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Mattia Peretti, former manager of Journalism AI at the London School of Economics and current Knight Fellow at the International Center for Journalists, joins host Nikita Roy to share insights on balancing AI innovation with journalistic integrity.

The episode explores an AI literacy initiative at Internews, which created a platform for knowledge exchange and significantly improved the organization's understanding and application of AI technologies. 

The discussion also delves into the development of generative AI guidelines for newsrooms, using the example of The Guardian. The focus is on creating adaptable, value-driven principles rather than strict prescriptions. This approach allows for flexibility in the face of rapid technological changes while ensuring that the organization's foundational values remain intact. 

The Guardian's experience serves as a valuable case study for other newsrooms looking to navigate the integration of AI technologies.

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Florent Daudens, the outgoing Director of Newsgathering and Deployment at Canada's National Public Broadcaster, Radio-Canada, joins Nikita Roy to share how he led AI literacy initiatives in their newsroom. In his role, Florent focused on enhancing the news department with AI as well as managing operations across national, parliamentary, and foreign bureaus.

With a passion for AI and technology trends, Florent has contributed to the digital evolution of major Canadian media outlets for over 15 years. Previously, he worked as the News Director at Le Devoir, where his tenure was marked by a digital transformation. This included the creation of specialized video and data visualization units and the introduction of innovative journalistic products. Florent also dedicates time to teaching digital journalism at the University of Montreal.

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Ezra Eeman, the Director of Strategy & Innovation at the Dutch Public Broadcaster NPO joins Nikita Roy to discuss NPO's AI strategy, revealing the complexities of navigating this frontier within a decentralized network of 13 broadcasters. From leveraging AI for accessibility and efficiency to cautious experiments with synthetic voices and avatars, NPO's approach offers a fascinating case study in balancing innovation with public trust.

With almost 20 years of experience in media, innovation, and journalism, Ezra has been at the forefront of digital transformation. Previously he was the Change Director at international media company Mediahuis, where he was responsible for coordinating newsroom transformation and digital acceleration. He also served as the Head of Digital, Transformation and Platforms at the European Broadcasting Union (EBU), and prior to that, he was head of an innovation lab and journalist at VRT, the Flemish public broadcaster.

Sign up for the Newsroom Robots newsletter for episode summaries and insights from host, Nikita Roy.

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