News companies to get GenAI access thanks to Microsoft

Microsoft has announced several collaborations with news organizations to explore the use of generative AI in newsrooms. With billions of people voting in global elections this year, the company emphasizes the crucial role of journalism in fostering healthy information ecosystems.

These partnerships aim to empower newsrooms with the tools and knowledge to leverage AI responsibly and sustainably. Key initiatives include:

• Semafor and Semafor Signals: This collaboration involves harnessing AI tools to assist journalists in research, source discovery, and translation, ultimately helping them provide diverse and credible local, national, and global news to their audience.
• Craig Newmark Graduate School of Journalism and AI Journalism Lab: This program offers experienced journalists a tuition-free opportunity to explore AI integration in their work through a three-month hybrid program led by data scientist Nikita Roy.
• Online News Association and AI programming: This year-long program focuses on informing, educating, and convening journalists around AI solutions and best practices. It includes tool testing, practical training, and knowledge-sharing sessions.
• GroundTruth Project and AI in local news: This initiative trains local journalists on AI applications to enhance reporting efficiency and newsroom sustainability.
• Nota and PROOF: This AI startup, supported by Microsoft, offers newsroom tools to reach new audiences, expand social media presence, and personalize content. Their upcoming PROOF tool provides real-time feedback on content readability, SEO, and audience reach.

Industry groups, academics, news champions, and global newsrooms will collaborate on responsible AI adoption. Each organization will receive Microsoft’s support and share project results and learnings with the wider industry.

Microsoft’s “Democracy Forward” program aims to enhance news ecosystems, recognizing the link between healthy democracies and thriving news organizations.

Tech companies are partnering with news organizations to explore the potential of AI in journalism. For instance, Google AI partnered with The Washington Post to develop AI-powered tools for generating article summaries. The New York Times has been experimenting with AI-assisted writing and translation tools.

More here.