This FREE online programme offers a deep-dive into the potential of artificial intelligence to journalists and media professionals from small newsrooms. It is designed by the JournalismAI team at the London School of Economics and Political Science (LSE) and powered by the Google News Initiative. The Academy is a 6-week online programme that starts in September 2021 and, in its first pilot edition, it is designed for 20 participants from small news organisations (fewer than 50 employees) in the EMEA region (Europe, Middle East and Africa). In line with JournalismAI's mission to inform media organisations about the potential offered by AI-powered technologies and to foster debate about the ethical, editorial, and social impact of AI on journalism, the Academy aims to support small newsrooms that want to learn how AI can be used to support their journalism. The programme combines a series of masterclasses given by experts working at the intersection of journalism and artificial intelligence with opportunities for discussion among participants.

How have publishers evolved and what do they see ahead? Amid rising fears that artificial intelligence (AI) will threaten journalists' jobs and take over the newsroom, the Journalism AI report – a project by Polis in collaboration with Google News Initiative – sought to find out how exactly AI technologies are being applied to journalism. However, AI is a'significant part of journalism already but it is unevenly distributed' and news organizations are already applying aspects of intelligent technology in their operations, to help them work more efficiently and improve monetization. "One of the key aspects of AI and journalism is that it allows the whole journalism model to become more holistic, with a feedback loop between the different parts of the production and dissemination process" Artificial intelligence systems can be useful in helping newsrooms to categorize content or information at scale for different news gathering purposes. For example, since 2015 The Associated Press have been using a management tool, SAM, which algorithmically sifts through social media platforms to alert the newsroom on likely breaking news events.

And here is a brief response to the report from Johannes Klingebiel of Süddeutsche Zeitung. A strategy for #AI adoption will vary depending on the nature of the news organisation. However, the #JournalismAI survey shows there are a few key key elements everyone should consider.

A new report published this week (18 November 2019) looking at the intersection of AI and journalism has issued a warning to global newsrooms: collaborate with your competitors or face extinction. A global survey of journalism and artificial intelligence' is a joint project between Polis, the international journalism think-tank at London School of Economics and Political Science, and the Google News Initiative, who has funded the research. It surveyed 71 international news organisations on their on use of artificial intelligence for editorial purposes across a seven-month period, showing that just 37 per cent of them have a dedicated AI strategy. Charlie Beckett, director, Polis, London School of Economics and Political Science, said that newsrooms have between two and five years to develop a meaningful strategy, or risk fading out of the digital landscape. "This is a marathon, not a sprint - but they've got to start running now," he said.

The Journalism AI report is based on a survey of 71 news organisations in 32 different countries regarding artificial intelligence and associated technologies. A wide range of journalists working with AI answered questions about their understanding of AI, how it was used in their newsrooms, and their views on the wider potential and risks for the news industry. What emerges from this research is that artificial intelligence (AI) is a significant part of journalism already but it is unevenly distributed. AI is giving journalists more power, but with that comes editorial and ethical responsibilities. The future impact of AI is uncertain but it has the potential for wide-ranging and profound influence on how journalism is made and consumed.

This list of readings about journalism and AI is based on research for the Polis report on AI and Journalism published in November 2018. We will update this list and welcome suggestions for further readings to: c.h.beckett@lse.ac.uk What is machine learning and why should I care? AI is going to save journalism – here's how Is AI and journalism a good mix? First in the world: Yle's smart news assistant Voitto ensures that you don't miss the news you want to read Can science writing be automated?

In preparation for his participation in a panel discussion hosted by Demos about the future of artificial intelligence, The Director of the Media Policy Project and the Director of the LSE Truth, Trust and Technology Commission, Professor Charlie Beckett, prepared the following notes. You can follow read more about the discussion by searching #futureofai on Twitter. I think that AI and machine learning is a big deal for journalism and news information. Possibly as important as the other developments we have seen in the last 20 years such as online platforms, digital tools and social media. My 2008 book on how journalism was being revolutionised by technology was called SuperMedia because these technologies offered extraordinary opportunities to make journalism much more efficient and effective – but also to transform what we mean by news and how we relate to it as individuals and communities.