Brad Smith Vice Chair and President at Microsoft | Official website
The Lenfest Institute for Journalism has announced a new collaboration with OpenAI and Microsoft to explore the use of artificial intelligence in local journalism. This initiative, known as the Lenfest Institute AI Collaborative and Fellowship program, aims to enhance business sustainability and innovation in metro news organizations across the United States.
In its first round of funding, five media outlets—Chicago Public Media, Newsday, The Minnesota Star Tribune, The Philadelphia Inquirer, and The Seattle Times—will receive grants to employ AI fellows for two years. These fellows will focus on projects that aim to improve business sustainability through AI technology. Additionally, these organizations will have access to OpenAI and Microsoft Azure credits to develop tools supporting local journalism.
Jim Friedlich, executive director and CEO of The Lenfest Institute, stated: “We are pleased to be working with both OpenAI and Microsoft on this important initiative to support local news.” He added that sharing results from these fellowships would empower local newsrooms "to explore, implement and advocate for AI business solutions."
Projects undertaken by the selected media outlets include using AI for public data analysis, enhancing audience engagement through new tools, and creating conversational search interfaces for archives. Tom Rubin from OpenAI emphasized their commitment by stating: “While nothing will replace the central role of reporters... we believe AI can help it thrive.”
Teresa Hutson from Microsoft expressed optimism about how AI could help build a sustainable future for news organizations: “We need local journalism to inform and educate citizens... We hope these news organizations will be lighthouses for the industry.”
OpenAI and Microsoft are jointly contributing $10 million in direct funding as well as software credits over two years. This partnership also involves The Lenfest Institute’s Local Independent News Coalition (LINC), which includes several major independently owned metropolitan news organizations.
