Newsroom Robots

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 newsThe importance of audience inclusion and feedback in AI systems for newsThe limitations of simply labeling content as "AI-generated" and the need for more meaningful transparencyAn analysis of the EU AI Act and its implications for media companiesSign up for the Newsroom Robots newsletter for episode summaries and insights from host Nikita Roy. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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 systemsStrategies for reporting on AI's deployment and performanceEducating the public on AI biases and impacts on democratic processesThe need for balanced and informative reporting on AI to avoid hype AI's Impact on Elections and Voter ManipulationSign up for the Newsroom Robots newsletter for episode summaries and insights from host Nikita Roy. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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 NewsroomExploring Audience-Facing AI ProductsTesting and Prototyping AI ProductsBuilding Foundations for Future AI ProjectsEnhancing User Experience and Personalizing Content with AIBuilding an AI-powered gender reportCollaborating with German news organizations on AI initiativesPersonal experiments with AI and lessons learnedSign up for the Newsroom Robots newsletter for episode summaries and insights from host Nikita Roy. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Jaemark Tordecilla, Nieman Fellow at Harvard University, discusses the potential of custom GPTs for newsrooms. He shares experiences creating COA Beta Assistant for summarizing audit reports. Topics include streamlining journalism processes, integrating knowledge bases, democratizing AI access, and navigating model limitations.

Adrian Gill, former creative director and CEO, discusses the impact of AI in design, focusing on enhancing workflows, ethical considerations, and remaining competitive in an AI-driven landscape. The podcast explores AI's role in graphics, visual storytelling, and revolutionizing sneaker design.

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. Sign up for the Newsroom Robots newsletter for episode summaries and insights from host Nikita Roy. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Florent Daudens, an expert in AI and technology trends, discusses leading AI literacy initiatives at Radio-Canada. Topics include empowering journalists through AI training, advocating for AI literacy in news reporting, exploring AI applications in newsrooms, revolutionizing news with AI, and AI integration in French language understanding and teaching journalism.

Ezra Eeman discusses NPO's AI strategy, from accessibility to synthetic voices, in this episode. Topics include AI in news workflows, mental health care services, image/video generation tools, European broadcasters' relationships with tech companies, and the future of news with AI content creation.

Join Nikita Roy as she chats with internet pioneer Craig Newmark about his philanthropic efforts in supporting journalism, the evolution of AI language models, enhancing customer service in the news industry with AI, concerns with large language models, collaboration for trustworthy journalism in the age of AI, and exploring the potential of Craig GPT and fact-checked interviews.

Product lead for AI at Germany’s Ippen Digital, Alessandro Alviani, discusses fine-tuning large language models for newsroom tasks, modular journalism, and developing an AI tool to track misinformation. They focus on enhancing accuracy for tasks like headline writing and article summarization through fine-tuning models on Ippen Digital's journalistic content.