Organiser WAN-Ifra has added a prototype development fund to the Newsroom AI Catalyst partnership it has with OpenAI.
The fund expands the accelerator programme, allowing news publishers to fast-track their AI adoption and implementation.
WAN-Ifra chief executive Vincent Peyrègne says the rise of AI – particularly generative AI – presents substantial opportunities for newsrooms and publishers. “AI can support content creation and enhancement, enable more in-depth information and data analysis, and improve the user experience on news platforms,” he says. “It allows for a whole new approach to creating and distributing news in new dynamic modes.”
However, the advancements also introduce new challenges for journalists, publishers and society, including the potential proliferation of misinformation and concerns around privacy, copyright, bias, and more. “The Newsroom AI Catalyst initiative aims to drive meaningful AI integration in newsrooms worldwide.”
Aim of the accelerator programme is to equip news media organisations with AI resources to enhance efficiency and storytelling. Jointly the WAN-Ifra and OpenAI development fund includes US$1.5 million in OpenAI API credits to encourage AI-driven innovation, which will be distributed to participating teams.
Half will be earmarked for top-performing newsrooms, and half distributed among participating companies.
Peyrègne says the fund provides an ideal real-life opportunity to test new approaches, “moving beyond the traditional static formats to create new dynamic, interactive more personalised experiences for the audience.”
The Newsroom AI Catalyst is open to 128 newsrooms across Europe, Asia Pacific, Latin America and South Asia.
For more information, contact digital revenue network director Martin Fröhlich, email: martin.froehlich@wan-ifra.org