Center for News, Technology & Innovation

AI Newsroom Policies: Intent vs. Reality ALT Text: A high-contrast informational slide titled "AI Newsroom Policies: Intent vs. Reality." A large blue and gray circular progress bar prominently displays "80%." Text clarifies that 80% of Global South journalists report having no formal AI policy in their newsrooms as of late 2024. Supporting graphics include icons of a news microphone, newspaper, and a digital monitor labeled "Daily News," framed by blue circuit-board patterns. A call to action at the bottom reads, "Swipe to see the gaps."

The Gaps in AI Guidelines ALT Text: An educational slide titled "The Gaps in AI Guidelines" featuring a split-color background of light gray and blue. It lists three primary gaps: 1) Vague Terminology, noting that guidelines often use terms like "appropriate use" without concrete definitions; 2) Output vs. Systems, explaining that focus remains on what AI produces rather than the underlying algorithms; and 3) Subtle Biases, stating that newsrooms are failing to audit invisible biases in third-party tools. A taped-on note graphic provides an example: AI translation tools assuming doctors are men and nurses are women.

The Challenge of Platform Dependency ALT Text: A darker-themed slide titled "The Challenge of Platform Dependency" featuring an illustration of large gray blocks representing platform companies connected by heavy chains to a small "Newsroom" icon. Text boxes highlight three key points: 1) Increasing Reliance on major platform companies for news production; 2) Contractual Asymmetry, noting that developers can change terms of service without notice; and 3) Subtle Editorial Influence, where third-party algorithms can influence editorial decisions. A bottom banner notes the "Small Player" Reality, stating only the wealthiest newsrooms can afford to build safer, local tools.

Actionable Steps for Newsrooms ALT Text: A final summary slide titled "Actionable Steps for Newsrooms" with an upward-trending green arrow in the background. It outlines a three-step roadmap: Step 1 is to Operationalize Policies by integrating them into daily workflows; Step 2 is Inclusive Creation, involving stakeholders with diverse backgrounds to create stronger policies; and Step 3 is The Human-in-the-Loop, prioritizing human supervision as a practical safety measure. The "Bottom Line" at the bottom emphasizes that policies must be specific and prioritize accountability. A button reads "Read the Full Briefing at cnti.org."

While AI is being used in newsrooms, formal rules about its use are not yet universal. New research from CNTI’s Global AI & Journalism Working Group reveals that when there are policies, newsrooms prioritize transparency, human supervision and human verification of outputs. Find more bit.ly/4rPqLrC

Find more about our event outtakes: cnti.org/event-outtak...

“Collaboration is actually survival.” Local and international journalists gathered to discuss the current freedom of the press situation, a shift from physical threats to institutional pressure.

Learn more: “The Fight for Press Freedoms Around the World” cnti.org/event-outtak...
#journalism

Newsroom Policies for AI in Journalism The third briefing from the AI and Journalism Research Working Group finds that organizational AI policies tend to prioritize principles and values over practical guidance.

New from CNTI: "Newsroom Policies for AI in Journalism"
Our briefing synthesized 30 research papers about AI governance in newsrooms. One key takeaway: Newsroom policies on new technologies tend to emphasize principles & values but don't always offer guidance. Read more:
cnti.org/reports/news...

AI Companions and Chatbots

Reminder: Join CNTI & All Tech is Human tomorrow at noon ET to understand how people use AI chatbots to get news and for personal companionship. RSVP 👇https://events.zoom.us/ev/As76hezfTPH7k_RVURXnRdTLzzQ69Xc6DjzzpSD2-GxQDXNMfmXm~At8zRCbTwL0-2AZDGY5DyBTrngRMrMiqh4D-COuJowkAtG4KPfrSCUH6gA

AI Companions and Chatbots

Join us and @alltechishuman.bsky.social on Feb. 5 at noon ET for a livestream discussion about how people actually use AI chatbots for news and companionship. RSVP 👇

events.zoom.us/ev/As76hezfT...

You Talkin’ To Me? Why do people trust chatbots more than they trust humans?

On "(Re)Structured News," Gina Chua explores CNTI's Chatbot study. "AI systems don’t just personalize news...they helped readers make sense of it in their own personal context." See more of her thoughts here and be sure to read the study!
restructurednews.substack.com/p/you-talkin...

The Hardware of Democracy: Upgrading Journalism’s Next Operating System We are navigating a fundamental shift in how people consume and verify reality. The modern crisis of trust stems from an architecture that has outpaced our collective ability to process information......

In a CNTI guest essay by Upasna Gautam, she explores how journalism can meet this moment: "Success in this new reality will belong to the leaders who can hold two seemingly opposing forces in balance: a relentless commitment to truth and a fearless embrace of innovation."

cnti.org/guest-essay/...

People who use chatbots for news consider them unbiased and “good enough,” new study finds Frequent users in the U.S. and India say they trust chatbots despite factual errors and outdated information.

Even when they talked about chronic factual errors and complained about chatbots failing to provide up-to-date information, interviewees were quick to forgive chatbots and continue using them to stay informed. www.niemanlab.org/2026/01/peop...

Join us for a livestream conversation about our new AI Chatbot report and @alltechishuman.bsky.social new report on AI Companions. Details are below - register here to be a part of the discussion - lnkd.in/eBKfZk_t.

Action, Ease & Personalization: AI Chatbot News Experiences How habitual AI chatbot users in the US and India stay informed

🤖Why are people using AI for news? A new @cnti.bsky.social report shows users in the US & India are swapping news sites for AI “concierges” to turn headlines into action. Key finding: Users want info they can act on, not just know. See the full report: bit.ly/4bGNeSw
#CNTI #chatbots

Journalists & Online Abuse How can we better protect the press from online harassment and abuse?

As digital platforms expand journalism’s reach, reporters are more exposed to new and escalating forms of online abuse. CNTI’s updated primer explores the policy choices that need to be made to strengthen protections.

👉 Read the primer:
cnti.org/issue-primer...

#PressFreedom #JournalismSafety

Journalism’s New Frontier: An Analysis of Global AI Policy Proposals and Their Impacts on Journalism CNTI analyzed 188 national and regional AI strategies, laws and policies that collectively cover more than 99 countries to determine how AI regulation is impacting journalism around the world.

📊 New research alert: We analyzed AI policies across every world region to map their impact on journalism.

Only 20 of 188 documents mention "journalist" or "news," but all will reshape the information landscape. Read more: bit.ly/4s7nVPq

#JournalismNewFrontier

Journalism producers will (re)see their product as a business "To be successful, news information producers will need to conduct a smart market analysis to determine the demand, demographics, economics and startup costs to launch."

“To be successful, news information producers will need to conduct a smart market analysis to determine the demand, demographics, economics and startup costs to launch.”

Read Executive Director @asmitchell.bsky.social's prediction for journalism in @niemanlab.org.

www.niemanlab.org/2025/12/jour...

How are newsrooms across the Western Balkans and Central Europe using AI with ethics at the centre?
Thomson and @cnti.bsky.social gathered journalists in Sarajevo for two days of honest, practical exchange.
Read more: bit.ly/4q7jBOn

Images credit: Kayla Goodson/CNTI
#Journalism #AI

AI for Sustainability: Building Journalism’s Future Innovations and insights from across the Western Balkans and Central Europe

CNTI and @thomsonfoundation.bsky.social hosted more than 35 journalists from the Western Balkans and Central Europe in Sarajevo to discuss the question, “How do we harness AI’s power to build a strong future for our work?”

Read our takeaways here: cnti.org/event-outtak...

We've got a new look!

Check out the brand new cnti.org.

AI Transcription and Translation in Journalism Working Group Briefing #2: November 2025

Another thing I read recently: The AI and Journalism Research Working Group (of which my colleague @amyrossarguedas.bsky.social and I are a part), convened by the @cnti.bsky.social has synthesised findings from 55 studies to evaluate how AI transcription & translation tools are impacting journalism

Congrats to @drnycnerd.bsky.social and Senior Fellow Prabhat Mishra on presenting at Mahindra University’s conference on Human & Digital Mutualism! Jay joined a panel on humans + algorithms, and later, Jay and Prabhat led a masterclass on AI and information practices.

Martin Baron: “Ya no doy por sentada la libertad de prensa en Estados Unidos” El exdirector de ‘The Washington Post’ defiende que tragedias como la dana demuestran que “la sociedad sigue confiando en la prensa”

“Independent journalism has lost the [United States'] vital support, and this is an indication that we have lost our soul. I no longer take press freedom in the United States for granted.”
-CNTI Board Member Martin Baron at Metafuturo
elpais.com/comunicacion...

AI Transcription and Translation in Journalism Working Group Briefing #2: November 2025

Can AI systems be trusted to produce accurate transcriptions & translations for journalists? A new briefing from CNTI's AI & Journalism Research Working Group examines 55 studies and finds that while AI models are improving, human review is still needed to ensure accuracy. cnti.org/article/ai-t...

What does responsible use of AI look like for the future of journalism?

CNTI's @drnycnerd.bsky.social will discuss ways AI is reshaping newsrooms as part of First Amendment Day at UNC.

🗓️ Wednesday, October 8, 2025
🕚 11:00 a.m.
📍 UNC
✅ Free and open to the public

Full details: lnkd.in/g-y2FyUE

We're hiring!

CNTI is hiring a full-time research associate to work on a variety of quantitative and qualitative research tasks related to key issues around journalism, technology and policy.

Learn more and apply by October 12, 2025 👉 cnti.org/wp-content/u...

Clooney Foundation for Justice Announces Honorees for the 2025 Albies : Clooney Foundation for Justice

Congratulations to CNTI Board Member @postbaron.bsky.social for this important recognition from the Clooney Center for Justice!

"Marty Baron’s legacy as executive editor of The Boston Globe and The Washington Post exemplifies the value of a free press."

cfj.org/news/clooney...

Integrating Emerging Technology in Newsrooms Must Preserve Journalistic Agency In interviews with more than 70 journalism professionals, Emilia Ruzicka found that daily journalists are being left out of conversations about the future of AI in the field.

📰 What 70+ journalists said about AI & the future of news

Most are using it only for quick fixes — transcription, OCR, headline tweaks.

Why? Shrinking teams & heavy demands leave little space to think long term.

👉 Full findings from @emiliaruzicka.bsky.social: cnti.org/guest-essay/...

How Serbia could use EU Digital Services Act for state censorship The implementation of the EU's Digital Services Act in Serbia and other countries lacking an independent digital services coordinator risks becoming an EU-based tool for state repression, enabling rul...

In Serbia, a leaked recording has raised fears of political attempts to weaken independent media. As the country adopts the EU’s DSA, a question looms: Will this law protect press freedom—or be misused to suppress it?

👉 Read more from @ewrightwy.bsky.social:
euobserver.com/eu-and-the-w...

On @thedailyshow.com, CNTI Board member and Nobel laureate @mariaressa.bsky.social shares urgent insights into democracy’s fragility: “If you don’t move and protect the rights you have, you lose them. And it’s so much harder to reclaim them.”

www.youtube.com/watch?v=Tsb1...

G20 Focus | M20 Summit on media freedom, AI, information integrity amongst others YouTube video by SABC News

“CNTI did a study that looked at 32 pieces of fake news policy around the world," @asmitchell.bsky.social told @sabcnews.bsky.social at #M20 Summit. "What we saw was that, even in democracies, in many cases those policies ended up creating more risk for journalists."

www.youtube.com/watch?v=jzEf...

Integrating Emerging Technology in Newsrooms Must Preserve Journalistic Agency In interviews with more than 70 journalism professionals, Emilia Ruzicka found that daily journalists are being left out of conversations about the future of AI in the field.

I had the pleasure of writing an article about journalism’s relationship with AI and what’s at stake as journalists continue to integrate emerging technologies for @cnti.bsky.social Give it a read! cnti.org/guest-essay/...

Is AI the next religion?: Roundtable at L'Orient-Le Jour's festival Join L’Orient-Le Jour's roundtable on AI's societal and other impacts at the

Is AI reprogramming humanity?

Tune in Sunday as CNTI Executive Chair @cforman.bsky.social discusses AI's impact on the economy, society and the flow of information at L'orient-Le Jour festival.

today.lorientlejour.com/article/1474...