The earth laughs
/The earth laughs in flowers. –ee cummings (born: Oct. 14, 1894)
ideas that challenge / comfort / inspire
17 Webinars this week about AI, Journalism, & Media
/Tue, Oct 15 - How journalists are prepping for the U.S. election
What: As the U.S. barrels toward another consequential presidential election, journalists across the country — from local outlets to national networks — are planning, prepping and pondering what this new election will hold. Join this session and hear how these journalists are preparing for election night, what they're keeping an eye out for, and what newsrooms have learned in the aftermath of the most recent election in 2020.
Who: Reporters from Associated Press and Spotlight PA
When: 1 pm, Eastern
Where: Zoom
Cost: Free for members
Sponsor: Investigative Reporters & Editors
Tue, Oct 15 - Tips for Managing Complex Stories
What: The conversation will cover a range of topics, including: tips for maintaining control of complicated, emotionally charged stories; advice on how to get sources to open up for extended periods of time — and where to mine for rich information even if they won’t; insights about what editors can and should do to make complex stories sing; the special challenges of being a working mom in the journalism trenches.
Who: Katie Engelhart, winner of the 2024 Pulitzer Prize for Feature Writing for “The Mother Who Changed: A Story of Dementia” and Maria Carrillo, a veteran editor and Pulitzer juror.
When: 2 pm, Eastern
Where: Zoom
Cost: Free
Sponsor: Society of Features Journalism
Wed, Oct 16 - What Gen AI Models Think Of Your Brand - And What You Need To Do About It
What: Find out how optimizing for LLMs creates a radically different perspective on your audiences, assets, and outcomes.
Who: Jack Smyth Chief Solutions Officer, AI Planning and Insight Jellyfish
When: 1 pm, Eastern
Where: Zoom
Cost: Free
Sponsor: Association of National Advertisers
Wed, Oct 16 - Combining Environmental Journalism and Investigative Tools
What: Panelists will discuss their experiences as investigative journalists in the environmental field. They will talk about in-depth stories they built and how the relevant data for these was collected, while also sharing tips and best practices with the audience.
Who: Fernanda Wenzel Rainforest Investigations Fellow; Alexandra Talty ORN Fellow; Bruna Wagner Pulitzer Center staff.
When: 1:10 pm, Eastern
Where: Zoom
Cost: Free
Sponsor: Pulitzer Center
Wed, Oct 16 - Accessibility: How to Make Your Website Usable For Everyone
What: We will delve into the core principles of accessibility, exploring real-world examples of disabilities and situational challenges users face. From understanding WCAG standards to addressing specific populations, we’ll equip you with actionable insights to create truly accessible websites.
Who: Jennie Martin and Kiersten Hill of Firespring
When: 2 pm, Eastern
Where: Zoom
Cost: Free
Sponsor: Firespring
Wed, Oct 16 - A Seat at the Table: Is AI Out to Take Your Job or Help You Do It Better?
What: While educators are thinking about how artificial intelligence will impact instruction, there’s a generation of students who will need to be prepared for an AI-powered future. What does the field need to prepare young people for this eventuality?
Who: Peter DeWitt will be joined by high school principal Kip Cruz, EdWeek’s Deputy Managing Editor Kevin Bushweller, and Ken Koedinger, Hillman Professor of computer Science at Carnegie Mellon. University.
When: 2 pm, Eastern
Where: Zoom
Cost: Free
Sponsor: EdWeek
Wed, Oct 16 - What International Journalists Need to Know About AI
What: Discover how A.I. is transforming journalism and learn practical tips for integrating the technology into your workflow. Topics include: Challenges and opportunities for using A.I. in visual journalism. How A.I. can help journalists work faster and smarter. Ensuring the ethical use of A.I. in newsroom workflows This panel is ideal for international journalists looking to stay ahead of the curve in the rapidly evolving field of A.I. and journalism.
Who: Phoebe Connelly, senior editor, A.I. Strategy and Innovation at The Washington Post; Rubina Madan Fillion, associate editorial director of A.I. Initiatives at The New York Times; Aimee Rinehart, senior product manager A.I. strategy for The Associated Press; and Elyse Samuels, senior producer on The Washington Post’s Visual Forensics team.
When: 6 pm, Eastern
Where: Zoom
Cost: Free
Sponsor: Overseas Press Club of America
Thu, Oct 17 - Crafting Inclusive Stories To Move Your Mission
What: Learn how thoughtful, inclusive storytelling can become a powerful tool for positive change in your nonprofit's communications. We'll explore creating narratives that are not only impactful but also protect, respect, and dignify those you serve.
Who: Maria Bryan | Maria Bryan Creative
When: 11 am, Eastern
Where: Zoom
Cost: Free
Sponsor: Nonprofit Learning Lab
Thu, Oct 17 - Copyright Law 101
What: This is the first of two classes introducing copyright law and suggesting best practices. You’ll learn how to identify a creative work that may be protected, when permission is likely needed to reproduce that work, good practices to avoid infringement claims, generally.
Who: Robert Bertsche, KLARIS Law
When: 12 pm, Eastern
Where: Zoom
Cost: Free
Sponsor: The New England First Amendment Coalition
Thu, Oct 17 - Lightning round: Tips for Election Day
What: Tips for quick-lifts you and your newsroom can still plan to do to increase trust in your coverage. You’ll leave with efficient, accessible ideas you can implement right away, with a checklist to use on Election Day.
When: 1pm, Eastern
Where: Zoom
Cost: Free
Sponsor: Trusting News
Thu, Oct 17 - Students Breaking Big Stories in an Election Year
What: A discussion with faculty partners across the country about the strategies they're using to lead student coverage of the election. They will discuss what's working, what's not, and what happens after Election Day.
Who: Meg Little Reilly and Sarah Gamard with the Center for Community News.
When: 1 pm, Eastern
Where: Zoom
Cost: Free
Sponsor: University of Vermont Center for Community News
Thu, Oct 17 - How to move news consumers in the “middle” of the audience funnel
What: How to move news consumers in the “middle” of the audience funnel – people who are aware of your news organization but aren’t yet engaged as loyal users, paying subscribers or donors.
Who: Table Stakes alumna Claudia Laws
When: 1 pm, Eastern
Where: Zoom
Cost: Free
Sponsor: American Press Institute
Thu, Oct 17 - Campus to Campaign: Student Media’s Role in Election Coverage Webinar
What: Explore how student journalists are contributing to the 2024 election coverage.
Who: Peggy Dodd: Editor-in-Chief of OU Daily at University of Oklahoma; Lily Alexander: Editor-in-Chief of The Daily Lobo at the University of New Mexico; Sarah Hutter: Executive Producer of E2024 at The Los Angeles Loyolan; Mark Simon (Moderator): Podcast Host/Founder of The Journalism Salute.
When: 3 pm, Eastern
Where: Zoom
Cost: Free
Sponsor: The Nutgraf
Thu, Oct 17 - Driving Traffic to Your Website
What: By the end of this webinar, you will have a better understanding of website traffic and its different types, core marketing strategies that drive website traffic, and how the use of machine learning and website technology can impact your traffic.
Who: Cary Baskin, a SCORE Chester & Delaware Counties volunteer and owner of the Marketing Department in Malvern, PA.
When: 6 pm, Eastern
Where: Zoom
Cost: Free
Sponsor: Small Business Development Center, Widener University
Thu, Oct 17 - Freedom of Information and Open Meetings Law Primer with the Cornell Law School First Amendment Clinic
What: New York State has both a Freedom of Information Law and an Open Meetings Law, but these laws are not always followed, and ensuring they are enforced can feel like an insurmountable task. This webinar will explain the purpose and extent of these laws and how journalists can use them to uncover information that is the public's right to know.
Who: Heather E. Murray, the managing attorney of the Cornell Law School First Amendment Clinic’s Local Journalism Project, and Michael Linhorst, the local journalism attorney for the clinic.
When: 7 pm, Eastern
Where: Zoom
Cost: Free
Sponsor: The Press Club of Long Island
Fri, Oct 18 - Tools to Boost Your Reporting and Revenue
What: Learn how to use Google’s Pinpoint software to collect and sort through large volumes of data and documents. with, as well as other tools for generating story ideas and boosting your freelance business.
Who: Mary Nahorniak from the Google News Initiative
When: 12 pm, Easatern
Where: Zoom
Cost: Free
Sponsor: Institute for Independent Journalists
Fri, Oct 18 - How to Fact-Check the 2024 Election
What: We’ll explore ways to fight back against misinformation and disinformation during election coverage. We’ll use tools such as Google Fact-Check Explorer to track fact-checked images and stories and reverse image search and other Google tools to check election claims. We’ll break down doctored video and audio with WatchFramebyFrame and Deepfake-o-meter. We’ll also look at the innovative Rolliapp.com to track disinformation spreaders on social channels.
Who: JournalistsToolbox.ai founder Mike Reilley
When: 12 pm, Eastern
Where: Zoom
Cost: Free
Sponsor: National Press Foundation
the way we are
/God loves us the way we are, but too much to leave us that way. -Leighton Ford
the opposite of love
/The opposite of love is not hate, it’s indifference. The opposite of art is not ugliness, it’s indifference. The opposite of faith is not heresy, it’s indifference. And the opposite of life is not death, it’s indifference. -Holocaust survivor Elie Wiesel
24 Articles about How AI is Affecting Jobs
/Job-seeking AI will apply to thousands of positions for you - Boing Boing
These jobs are most at risk to be replaced by AI - New York Post
Zoom will let AI avatars talk to your team for you – The Verge
DJs are debating whether AI can replace them – Semafor
LinkedIn is rolling back its use of artificial intelligence – NPR
Will AI Make Job Recruiting More Efficient—but Less Fair? - Wall Street Journal
Busting through Linkedin’s resume screening with AI Tools – Semafor
How AI Is Helping ‘Fake Candidates’ Land Jobs - Wall Street Journal
AI may not steal many jobs after all. It may just make workers more efficient – ABC News
Video game actors go on strike over AI protections – Semafor
Rise in AI-Generated Resumes Overwhelms Recruiters with Low-Quality Applications – AllWork
Will A.I. Kill Meaningless Jobs? – New York Times
Neurodivergent workers' AI edge – Axios
In the age of AI, there's no future for workers content with being code monkeys — and they know it – Business Insider
AI Doesn’t Kill Jobs? Tell That to Freelancers - Wall Street Journal
Will A.I. Upend White-Collar Work? Consider the Hollywood Editor. – New York Times
Even if you have zero AI skills, these 3 tactics can give you an edge – Fast Company
Two-thirds of small businesses say hiring employees with AI skills could save them money - Ipsos
The A.I. Boom Has an Unlikely Early Winner: Wonky Consultants – New York Times
AI Work Assistants Need a Lot of Handholding - Wall Street Journal
How to use LinkedIn AI tools to find a job – Popular Science
OpenAI CTO: AI Could Kill Some Creative Jobs That Maybe Shouldn't Exist Anyway - PCMag
How will AI affect productivity? - Brooking
How AI Could Change the Odds of Landing a Job - Wall Street Journal
17 Articles about AI & Legal Issues
/5 Critical AI Legal Issues Every Business Must Navigate – Forbes
Artist appeals copyright denial for prize-winning AI-generated work - ArsTechnica
Podcast: AI and Voice Replication - Illusion of More
YouTube Develops Tool to Allow Creators to Detect AI-Generated Content Using Their Likeness – Hollywood Reporter
FBI busts musician’s elaborate AI-powered $10M streaming-royalty heist – ArsTechnica
Supio brings generative AI to personal injury cases – Tech Crunch
Mickey Mouse Smoking: How AI Image Tools Are Generating New Content-Moderation Problems – Wall Street Journal
Police officers are starting to use AI chatbots to write crime reports. Will they hold up in court? – Associated Press
Watermarking in Images Will Not Solve AI-Generated Content Abuse – Data Innovation
Bill to Outlaw AI Deepfakes Backed by SAG-AFTRA – Variety
The European Union’s world-first artificial intelligence rules are officially taking effect - Associated Press
Buzzfeed sends ‘cease and desist’ letter over AI aggregator’s logo – Press Gazette
The Push to Develop Generative A.I. Without All the Lawsuits – New York Times
AI can’t make music — but that doesn’t mean it poses an empty threat to musicians – The Atlantic
The music industry is coming for AI – NPR
Judge sharply criticizes lawyers for authors in AI suit against Meta – Politico
The Ethical Task
/Self-actualization is not merely a good to be desired, but rather a task, something human persons have been assigned to do and which they will be held responsible for achieving or failing to achieve.
Of course, not everyone is aware of this ethical task. (Kierkegaard) says that a great many people drift through life, “managing with custom and tradition” in their respective cities. Such people live their lives in a way similar to the way children who have not been taught table manners might get by at a fancy party: “Watch the other polite children and behave as they do.” Someone who lives life this way lacks… “authenticity” or “originality.” Such a person “would never do anything first and would never have any opinion unless he first knew that other had it.”
C. Steven Evans, Kierkegaard: An Introduction
The greatest mistake
/The greatest mistake you can make in life is to be continually fearing you will make one. -Elbert Hubbard
AI Definitions: AI Washing
/AI Washing - This references a company’s misleading claims about its use of AI. It’s a marketing tactic that exaggerates the amount of AI technology used in their products to appear more advanced than they actually are. AI washing takes its name from greenwashing, where companies make false or misleading claims about the positive impact they have on the environment.
More AI definitions here.
24 Recent Articles about AI Deepfakes
/What to know about the rise of AI deepfakes – CBS News
High School Is Becoming a Cesspool of Sexually Explicit Deepfakes – The Atlantic
Sophistication of AI-backed operation targeting senator points to future of deepfake schemes – Associated Press
Due to AI fakes, the “deep doubt” era is here - ArsTechnica
Taylor Swift and the Power of the AI Backlash – New York Magazine
How AI Is Helping ‘Fake Candidates’ Land Jobs – Wall Street Journal
A.I. Can Now Create Lifelike Videos. Can You Tell What’s Real? - The New York Times
FBI busts musician’s elaborate AI-powered $10M streaming-royalty heist - ArsTechnica
Educational resource page with information and tips about deepfakes - Microsoft
5 Best Deepfake Detector Tools & Techniques – Unite
U.S. Army soldier charged with using AI to create child sexual abuse images – Washington Post
New McAfee tool can detect AI-generated audio - Axios
See why AI detection tools can fail to catch election deepfakes – Washington Post
Google's Nonconsensual Explicit Image Problem is Getting Worse – Wired
Something fascinating is wrong with the eyes in deepfakes – Futurism
Bill to Outlaw AI Deepfakes Backed by SAG-AFTRA – Variety
As AI entrenches itself in the political world, discerning real from fake is critical – NBC Boston
The FCC wants the AI voice calling you to say it's a deepfake – Tech Radar
California lawmakers approve legislation to ban deepfakes, protect workers and regulate AI - ABC News
YouTube is developing AI detection tools for music and faces, plus creator controls for AI training – Tech Crunch
Scammers now using deepfakes to commit title fraud – NBC 6 South Florida
Many political AI deepfakes are totally cartoonish, but the technology is still shaping the election – Fortune
AI-generated deepfakes are a growing threat to consumer identity – CBS 8
What the US can learn from the role of AI in other elections – MIT Tech Review
Looking Down
/A small but detailed 2015 study of young adults found that participants were using their phones five hours a day, at 85 separate times. Most of these interactions were for less than 30 seconds, but they add up. Just as revealing: The users weren’t fully aware of how addicted they were. They thought they picked up their phones half as much as they actually did. Whether they were aware of it or not, a new technology had seized control of around one-third of these young adults’ waking hours.
Just look around you—at the people crouched over their phones as they walk the streets, or drive their cars, or walk their dogs, or play with their children. Observe yourself in line for coffee, or in a quick work break, or driving, or even just going to the bathroom. Visit an airport and see the sea of craned necks and dead eyes. We have gone from looking up and around to constantly looking down.
Andrew Sullivan, I used to Be a Human Being
22 Webinars This Week about AI, Journalism, Elections, Media Law, & More
/Mon, Oct 7 - ABC News Anchor Linsey Davis on Moderating the Presidential Debate
Who: ABC News Anchor Linsey Davis and Melba Tolliver is the author of Accidental Anchorwoman: A Memoir of Chance, Choice, Change, and Connection (2024). In 1967, by accident, Melba Tolliver was the first Black American to anchor network news.
When: 12 pm, Eastern
Where: Zoom
Cost: Free
Sponsor: Easton Book Festival
Mon, Oct 7 - AI NotebookLM & Steven Johnson
What: Have you played with Google’s NotebookLM AI model, and specifically explored how it can be used to create VERY realistic / human-sounding audio podcast conversations IN MINUTES using collections of articles, books, or other media? Join us for an engaging virtual hour of exploration with Google’s NotebookLM platform and the ideas of Steven Johnson.
Who: Author Steven Johnson, author of 13 books as well as numerous television programs, videos and podcasts about innovation; Wesley Fryer, the author of several books on technology integration and multimedia production.
When: 12 pm, Eastern
Where: Zoom
Cost: Free
Sponsor: Media Education Lab
Mon, Oct 7 - Fighting Misinformation in the Age of AI: Tips and Techniques to Teach Students
What: Learn how professional fact checkers avoid falling for misinformation whether it’s generated by humans or AI.
Who: Presented by Rachel Roberson, Senior Program Manager, Education Content, KQED; Rik Panganiban, Program Manager, Online Learning, KQED.
When: 5 pm, Eastern
Where: Zoom
Cost: Free
Sponsor: edWebinars
Mon, Oct 7 - How Science Journalists Confront Bias–in Their Stories and in Themselves
What: How journalists confront misinformation, conspiracy theories, and misleading ways of communicating scientific ideas. How bias manifests in scientific research, from ideation, methodologies, observation, conclusions, and discussions.
Who: OpenMind Magazine Editors-in-Chief Corey Powell and Pamela Weintraub
When: 6 pm, Eastern
Where: Zoom (and in-person)
Cost: Free
Sponsor: Pulitzer Center
Tue, Oct 8 – Key Protections for Journalists and their Sources
What: International freedom of expression standards which provide particular protection to journalists, with a focus on whistleblower protections, protection of sources and anti-SLAPP measures.
When: 8:30 am, Eastern
Where: Zoom
Cost: Free
Sponsor: Centre for Law and Democracy
Tue, Oct 8 - Ethical Artificial Intelligence: Bridging Technology with Credible Evaluation Practices
What: This webinar aims to demystify Artificial Intelligence (A)I by demonstrating that emerging technological tools can be strategically leveraged to enhance the evaluation process. This session will delve into the ethical application of AI within library evaluation practices, focusing on practical strategies to integrate AI responsibly as a tool, assistant, and resource.
Who: Jennifer Pacheco Villalobos, Ph.D. Assistant Professor, Claremont Graduate University
When: 1 pm, Eastern
Where: Zoom
Cost: Free
Sponsor: Research Institute for Public Libraries
Tue, Oct 8 - Why you should cover how your state certifies votes in the 2024 election
What: Led by journalists from Votebeat, this webinar will help local reporters explain how their state plans to certify election results.
Who: Jen Fifield is a senior reporter at Votebeat; Hayley Harding a reporter for Votebeat; Carter Walker is Votebeat’s reporter in Pennsylvania; Carrie Levine is Votebeat's managing editor.
When: 1 pm, Eastern
Where: Zoom
Cost: Free
Sponsor: Center for Cooperative Media
Tue, Oct 8 - Ask A Lawyer (College Student Media Edition)
What: Be prepared to take on any legal challenges this academic year may bring.
Who: SPLC lawyers
When: 4 pm, Eastern
Where: Zoom
Cost: Free
Sponsor: Student Press Law Center
Wed, Oct 9 - The Formula for Social Media Success
What: The topics will be covered are: The key differences between social networks, target markets social media goals, content strategy, ad strategy, measuring results, and must-have social media tools.
Who: Ray-Sidney Smith, Digital Marketing Strategist, Hootsuite Global Brand Ambassador, Google Small Business Advisor for Productivity, and Managing Director of W3C Web Services.
When: 10 am, Eastern
Where: Zoom
Cost: Free
Sponsor: Small Business Development Center, Widener University
Wed, Oct 9 - How to talk about mental health in the media – a short introduction for journalists
What: This webinar will introduce you to mental health specialists explaining modern approaches and understanding of mental health, the causes and effects of stigma and discrimination, and your role as a journalist in overcoming both. By the end of this session, you should feel better equipped to talk about and report on mental health issues.
Who: Alexandra Latham, Communications Manager, Mental Health Europe; Mar Cabra, The Self Investigation Foundation; Guadalupe Morales, Vice president, ENUSP (European Network of (Ex-)Users & Survivors of Psychiatry); Sue Baker OBE, Director, Changing Minds Globally.
When: 4 am, Eastern
Where: Zoom
Cost: Free
Sponsor: European Commission
Wed, Oct 9 - Case Study: Transforming Workflows with AI at Zamaneh Media
What: Zamaneh Media, a small Dutch-based newsroom focusing on Persian-language content, embraced AI to overcome challenges in news production and translation. The newsroom developed two AI-driven tools that significantly streamlined their workflows. Despite a small team of just two people with limited technical backgrounds, they improved the newsroom’s efficiency by reducing the time spent on routine tasks like newsletter creation and translating long Persian articles into English. Learn how they built these tools during this session.
Who: Zamaneh Media representatives
When: 11 am, Eastern
Where: Zoom
Cost: Free
Sponsor: Online News Association
Wed, Oct 9 - Staying Secure: Strategies for Journalists to Navigate Legal Risks and Keep Reporting
What: A new set of guidelines outlining three practical strategies for investigative journalists to anticipate and respond to these legal threats, even when operating in challenging environments. We’ll also hear from three experienced international reporters who have faced these threats and used these strategies to keep reporting safely.
Who: An expert panel featuring three displaced journalists from Latin America and the Middle East, moderated by Vance Center Staff Attorney Carla Pierini Borenstein.
Join the and three experienced journalists to launch new legal guidelines and discuss practical strategies to help investigative journalists respond to legal threats and operate in challenging environments.
When: 12 pm, Eastern
Where: Zoom
Cost: Free
Sponsor: Cyrus Vance Center for International Justice
Wed, Oct 9 - Navigating Artificial Intelligence: Integrating AI into Your Workflows Using Zapier & IFTTT
What: This workshop is designed for anyone who wants to harness the power of AI to optimize their workflows. We’ll delve into the world of AI integration, teaching you how to connect ChatGPT with other applications and automate tasks using Zapier and IFTTT. No prior coding experience is required.
When: 12 noon, Eastern
Where: Zoom
Cost: Free
Sponsor: Small Business Development Center, Widener University
Wed, Oct 9 - How the U.K. is investing in the AI revolution
What: How the U.K. is investing in AI’s economic potential, navigating the balance between innovation and risk and shaping the future of regulation.
Who: Peter Kyle MP, U.K. secretary of state for science; Wayve CEO Alex Kendall
When: 12 pm, Eastern
Where: Zoom
Cost: Free
Sponsor: Washington Post, AWS
Wed, Oct 9 - Leveraging AI for Faster and Better Course Development
What: Discover how AI can transform the entire course development process, making it faster and more efficient overall. In this webinar we explore the latest AI tools and techniques that streamline the instructional design process, from content analysis to writing and storyboarding. You will learn how to leverage AI to produce high-quality, engaging courses with reduced development time. Through practical examples and hands-on activities, you will gain the skills to integrate AI into your instructional design workflow, enhancing both speed and quality. By the end of the session, you'll be equipped with the knowledge to harness AI for creating impactful eLearning experiences efficiently.
Who: Garima Gupta, Founder & CEO, Artha Learning Inc.
When: 3 pm, Eastern
Where: Zoom
Cost: Free
Sponsor: Training Magazine Network
Thu, Oct 10 - Follow the Money — Investigating Shell Companies
What: This webinar will dive into the world of shell companies, exploring how investigative journalists can unravel these complex networks. Experts from the International Consortium of Investigative Journalists (ICIJ) and the Organized Crime and Corruption Reporting Project (OCCRP) will share useful resources to help journalists navigate this challenging field, focusing both on the strategy of the reporting and the most relevant tips and tools.
Who: Karrie Kehoe is ICIJ’s deputy head of data and research; Jan Strozyk is OCCRP’s chief data editor and co-leads OCCRP’s research and data team; The moderator is Simon Bowers, investigations editor at Finance Uncovered.
When: 10 am, Eastern
Where: Zoom
Cost: Free
Sponsor: Global Investigative Journalism Network
Thu, Oct 10 - The Ethical Imperative: Developing Policies for AI in Public Media
What: Thinking through your newsroom’s needs for guidance, parameters, pitfalls – and maybe the beginnings of an AI ethics policy.
Who: Monica Sandreczki, North Country Public Radio; Darla Cameron, Interim Chief Product Officer, Texas Tribune; Alex Mahadevan, Director of MediaWise, Poynter.
When: 12:30 pm, Eastern
Where: Zoom
Cost: Free
Sponsor: Public Media Journalists Association
Thu, Oct 10 - Know Your Rights: Covering the U.S. election
What: An overview of the rights of journalists’ rights in public places; Advice on navigating police restrictions during demonstrations Key information on journalists’ protections against handing over their materials or equipment, including during arrest; Case studies of legal threats against U.S. journalists; Practical resources available to journalists seeking legal support.
Who: Elise Perry, Senior Legal Manager, Legal Service for Independent Media; Thomson Reuters Foundation; Claire Rajan, Partner, A&O Shearman; Alexander Bussey, Associate, A&O Shearman; Lucy Westcott, Emergencies Director, Committee to Protect Journalists.
When: 11 am, Eastern
Where: Zoom
Cost: Free
Sponsor: TrustLaw, Thomson Reuters Foundation
Thu, Oct 10 - How the Boston Globe found a future for local journalism
What: Find out about the key strategies which enable legacy print local news publishers to make a successful transition to profitable digital-first operation. What does a successful revenue mix look like? Find out how to run a successful local news paywall, both from a content and technical perspective. What does the future hold for local news in the US and how can publishers make sure they are a part of it?
Who: Press Gazette editor in chief Dominic Ponsford; Chad Hussain, vice president of international partnerships for Quintype.
When: 2 pm, Eastern
Where: Zoom
Cost: Free
Sponsor: Quintype, PressGazette
Thu, Oct 10 - 10 Ways Every Newsroom Should Be Using AI
What: This webinar will help newsrooms integrate AI tools into their daily operations through efficient workflows, content creation, SEO optimization, and social media engagement. You'll see specific examples in a variety of areas with prompts and results using real-world experiences from editorial teams both big and small. This webinar is perfect for journalists, editors, and newsroom managers who want to understand how AI can be a game changer for their teams, making processes more efficient while upholding editorial standards.
Who: David Arkin is the owner of David Arkin Consulting.
When: 2 pm, Eastern
Where: Zoom
Cost: $35
Sponsor: Online Campus Media
Thu, Oct 10 - AI, Copyright and Legal Considerations for Journalists, Freelancers and News Organizations
What: An overview of what journalists should know about the legal issues surrounding AI. We’ll get into some of the current court cases and their potential impact on the field, copyright issues, a look at how other fields such as the entertainment industry navigate AI issues, considerations when entering into contracts, submitting content for publication, and using technology to create content, and more.
Who: Farrah Vazquez and Chris Weathers of the media firm Davis Wright Tremaine
When: 3 pm, Eastern
Where: Zoom
Cost: Free ($25 for nonmembers)
Sponsor: Online News Association
Thu, Oct 10 - Connecting Students to AI Accountability News Stories
What: Many teachers report feeling unequipped to engage students in conversations about the uses of predictive and surveillance technologies. In this virtual panel, The Information & Artificial Intelligence Teacher Advisory Council members will detail their experience exploring news stories about AI accountability and creating curricular tools to support educators and students eager to utilize reporting on AI as a tool for better understanding the impact of artificial intelligence in their schools and communities.
Who: The Information & Artificial Intelligence Teacher Advisory Council, a cohort of 12 teachers who developed and tested resources to introduce and engage with reporting created through the Pulitzer Center’s AI Accountability Network.
When: 6 pm, Eastern
Where: Zoom
Cost: Free
Sponsor: Pulitzer Center
15 Articles about How AI Works
/How Generative AI Works – Financial Times (scroll storytelling)
Demystifying AI – Axios
5 questions about artificial intelligence, answered – Washington Post
W&M professor publishes children’s book to teach AI fundamentals – William & Mary
Shedding light on AI's black box – Axios
What exactly is an AI agent? – Tech Crunch
‘Visual’ AI models might not see anything at all - Tech Crunch
Is this AI? See if you can spot the technology in your everyday life. – Washington Post
ChatGPT and other language AIs are nothing without humans – a sociologist explains how countless hidden people make the magic – The Conversation
What Are Large Language Models (LLMs) and How Do They Work? – MakeUseOf
What Is Deep Learning? - MathWorks
Readers Have a Lot of Questions About AI. We Answer Them. – Wall Street Journal
What is AI? Everything to know about artificial intelligence – Zdnet
How AI models are getting smarter Deep neural networks are learning diffusion and other tricks – The Economist
A Good Marriage
/A good marriage is one which allows for change and growth in the individuals and in the way they express their love. –Pearl S. Buck
Good questions
/Good questions outflank easy answers. -Nobel prize-winning economist Paul Samuelson
18 Articles about AI & the Bigger Questions
/Can Artificial Intelligence Be Conscious? – Psychology Today
What Does It Really Mean to Learn? – The New Yorker
There’s no way for humanity to win an AI arms race – Washington Post
Three key misconceptions in the debate about AI and existential risk – The Bulletin
Is AI Really an Existential Threat to Humanity? – Mother Jones
AI Chatbot Credited With Preventing Suicide. Should It Be? – 404 Media
Who will control the future of AI? – Washington Post
The big AI risk not enough people are seeing – The Atlantic
ChatGPT and the Future of the Human Mind - Every
Here’s why AI like ChatGPT probably won’t reach humanlike understanding – Science News Explores
AI's flawed human yardstick - Axios
“AI” as shorthand for turning off our brains. (This is not an anti-AI post; it’s a discussion of how we think about AI.) – StatModeling
If we ignore AI explainability, we will be throwing ourselves to the mercy of algorithms we don’t understand. – Fast Company
Scientists Gave AI an "Inner Monologue" and Something Fascinating Happened – Futurism
Opinion: A.I.’s Benefits Outweigh the Risks – New York Times
End-of-life decisions are difficult and distressing. Could AI help? – MIT Tech Review
Generative AI is a hammer and no one knows what is and isn’t a nail – Medium
4 Family Types
/There are basically four family types that we all come from.
1 - The Traditional Family System
The old-fashioned family has a myth that “father knows best.” This family is under the control of only one member.
2 - Enmeshed Family System
The frightened family has a myth that it's “us against the world.” It is emotionally bound together and protective of itself.
3 - The Fighting Family System
The fighting family has a myth of “every man for himself.” Each member of this family is strongly individualistic, recognizing no other authority than his (or her) own.
4 - The Open Family System
The healthy family system theme is “all for one and one for all.” The open family system emphasizes the worth, dignity, and uniqueness of each individual, the importance of unconditional positive regard, and the value of positive reinforcement.
7 Quotes about the Limitations of AI
/While AI can enhance individual creativity, it might do so at the expense of collective diversity and novelty in creative works. PsyPost
The AI programs aren’t necessarily doing something no human can; they’re doing something no human can in such a short period of time. Sometimes that’s great, as when an AI model quickly solves a scientific challenge that would have taken a researcher years. Sometimes that’s terrifying, as when (they appear) capable of replacing entire production studios. -The Atlantic
“On average 30% of the time the AI models spread misinformation when asked about claims in the news. On average 29% of the time, the AI models simply refused to respond to prompts about false claims in the news over the past month. Instead, the models delivered only non-responsive responses.” -News Guard
While AI models are starting to replicate musical patterns, it is the breaking of rules that tends to produce era-defining songs. Algorithms ‘are great at fulfilling expectations but not good at subverting them, but that’s what often makes the best music,’ Eric Drott, a music-theory professor at the University of Texas at Austin.” How can we be more human than an AI? Produce creative work that goes beyond the expected, the predictable, the established and popular. -The Atlantic
Recent brain scans suggest we don’t need language to think. A group of neuroscientists now argue that our words are primarily for communicating, not for reasoning. "Separating thought and language could help explain why AI systems like ChatGPT are so good at some tasks and so bad at others. These programs mimic the language network in the human brain — but fall short on reasoning." - New York Times
If an LLM can be trained on 17th-century texts, it can just as easily be trained on QAnon forums, or a dataset that presupposes the superiority of one religion or political system. Use a deeply skewed bubble machine like that to try to understand a book, a movie, or someone's medical records and the results will be inherently biased against whatever — or whoever — got left out of the training material. -Business Insider
At times, A.I. chatbots have stumbled with simple arithmetic and math word problems that require multiple steps to reach a solution, something recently documented by some technology reviewers. The A.I.’s proficiency is getting better, but it remains a shortcoming. -New York Times
How to Pick a Leader
/Try to ignore everything that is style and not substance. We should de-emphasize things like credentials, expertise, and experience, especially when they apply to something people have done before but is not so relevant for the future. Most of us are less likely to lose our jobs to AI than to reimagine our current roles while working out how to use AI to add value in different ways. Less focus on hard skills and more focus on the right soft skills.
Those who must be in control
/Imperative people can have too strong a sense of responsibility. In pushing themselves to do right, they often pay the price of burnout. When others encourage them to slow down, they won’t for fear that a bad habit of laziness might develop. Or perhaps someone will be displeased. The saying, “When you want something done, ask the busiest person in town to do it” may contain a lot of truth. Especially if the busiest person in town doesn’t have the ability to say no.
Les Carter, Imperative People: Those Who Must Be in Control