Channels with Peter Kafka Patch’s AI Experiment: Thousands of Newsletters, Zero Humans
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Sep 10, 2025 Warren St. John, CEO of Patch, dives into the innovative yet controversial approach of AI-generated local news. He discusses how Patch is deploying newsletters across thousands of communities without any human writers, comparing his service to a 'Kind bar' instead of a gourmet meal. St. John addresses the balance between automation and trust in journalism, the challenges of local relevance, and the importance of supporting traditional outlets. His insights provoke thoughts on the future of news and the role of technology in local storytelling.
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Human Reporters Still Central
- Patch keeps a team of 85 reporters doing original hyperlocal reporting while experimenting with AI products.
- They use AI to augment coverage, not replace their core reporting mission.
AI-Scaled Local Newsletters
- Patch AM can generate newsletters for any US community and is live in roughly 11,000 places.
- The system curates headlines, weather and events by scanning digital sources for local relevance.
Curate For Community Relevance
- Use curation filters to surface broadly relevant community items, not every niche notice.
- Prioritize relevance and newsworthiness to avoid overwhelming readers with trivial details.