Using artificial intelligence in journalism

Courses, materials, and readings - almost all free of charge - to learn how to use machine learning and artificial intelligence in journalistic practice. Dedicated to editors, journalists, press officers, and, in general, those involved in disseminating and verifying information and data.

How can we use ChatGpt and Generative AI for our work as journalists? And how is the world of journalism itself changing due to the introduction of tools and algorithms based on artificial intelligence and machine learning?

Many now believe that the introduction of algorithms such as chatgpt has also marked a turning point in the dissemination and use of information. Not only that, in the world of science journalism, there are many tools for analyzing and managing data and information that can be exploited if machine learning techniques are mastered. For this reason, many platforms have taken steps to provide training courses on the subject, from the basics of machine learning and artificial intelligence to complete classes to integrate this 'new' world into everyday journalistic practice. Let's look at a few examples. 

In journalism, artificial intelligence and machine learning fall into a broader category called “digital journalism”. This includes, for instance, using tools for fact-checking, verifying the provenance of images and video testimonies, voice typing, advanced search, and even data analysis. In this area, for instance, Google provides several free online tools, courses, and guides covering practically every need. You can find them on Google News Initiatives in a section called Journalist Studio. In this area, Google also funds a platform called Journalism AI, which, together with the London School of Economics and Political Science and VRT News and Texty, also offers an introductory course on Machine Learning: the basic level comprises seven lessons lasting about 35 minutes. 

Besides this, you can find many other contents on the Journalism AI platform. First, you can download a Starter Pack and then follow the two online courses provided by the platform. In addition to the materials you can find in the Training section, the platform also launches a course in the Discovery section, consisting of several modules every week. This year, the course was held in June, but if you are interested, you can contact the organizers directly or read the FAQs concerning the course on the site. 

Finally, a nearby opportunity for those interested: the Knight Centre for Journalism at the University of Texas at Austin offers a free comprehensive course to learn how to use ChatGpt and other generative AI tools in journalism. It is a complete four-week course starting on 25 September (late registration is still available). The course is structured in four modules (one per week) with online lessons, tutorials, discussion forums, and (weekly) tests/quizzes to ensure you understand the course content. The convenience lies in that the lesson times are not fixed, but everyone can manage them if the modules are completed within the week.

Featured image by Google DeepMind