Deadline: August 1, 2021

Applications are open for the London School of Economics and Political Science (LSE) AI Academy for Small Newsrooms 2021. This free online program 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 program 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.

Benefits

• Participants will leave the Academy with a practical understanding of the opportunities and challenges offered by AI technologies, examples of successful implementation, and a co-created action plan to guide the development of AI projects in their news organisations.

Eligibility

• The Academy is designed for journalists and media professionals working in small newsrooms (fewer than 50 employees), based in the EMEA region (Europe, Middle East and Africa – GMT 0 to +4), and who are fluent in English.
• The ideal candidate already has a basic understanding of the potential of artificial intelligence and machine learning, and works in a news organisation that has started exploring how to use these new technologies. Candidates with different newsroom titles will be considered but, in the selection process, priority will be given to candidates that demonstrate the ability to influence the strategic adoption of AI in their news organisation to tackle journalistic challenges. 
• No coding skills are required to attend the Academy, nor are there any other technical requirements, other than a stable WiFi connection to participate in the live activities. They encourage journalists and media professionals from all backgrounds to apply.

Dates and Modules

The Academy will take place between September and October 2021. The program will last six weeks, with each week having a different focus:

• Module #1 (16-17 Sept) – Key Concepts and Definitions
• Module #2 (23-24 Sept) – Applications of AI in Journalism 
• Module #3 (30 Sept – 1 Oct) – Data & Technology
• Module #4 (7-8 Oct) – People & Culture 
• Module #5 (14-15 Oct) – Risks & Concerns 
• Module #6 (21-22 Oct) – From Ideation to Implementation

Application

Applications opened on July 6th, 2021 and should be submitted, in English, here. The deadline to submit your application is at 11:59pm GMT on August 1, 2021. Participants will be informed of the results of the selection process by August 16. If you have any question, send an email at hello@journalismai.info.

For more information, visit AI Academy for Small Newsrooms.