Possibility
/I dwell in possibility… –Emily Dickinson (born Dec. 10, 1830)
ideas that challenge / comfort / inspire
Envisioning Failure
/Our brains mix real imagery with mental and emotional baggage, which affects performance. Slugger Mickey Mantle is reported to have once said after hitting a long home run, "I just saw the ball as big as a grapefruit." In contrast, poor hitters may see the baseball as small. It’s not just out of reach for them physically but emotionally as well.
A Purdue University study tested the kicking ability of more than 20 athletes who don't play football. They were asked to estimate the size of the goalposts before and after each of 10 attempts to kick a field goal. The more successful the athlete, the more likely they were to overestimate the size of the posts and underestimate the distance.
Success biased the kickers’ perception of the difficulty of their task. Professor Jessica Witt says, “Before you kicked, you really didn’t know what your abilities were going to be.’’ She found the same effect in past experiments with softball players and golfers. University of Virginia psychologist Dennis Proffitt has put together tests that show the effect holds true even when it comes to dangerous situations.
Which are you imagining in your life—success or failure?
Stephen Goforth
Natural Language Video Editing
/For the foreseeable future, we’ll still need pro video editors who master the technical details of visual storytelling. But for many everyday situations — trimming a meeting recording, pulling social media clips, or gathering quick highlights — natural language editing may soon be a widely-adopted accelerator of the process. It’s not mature yet, but it’s poised to make video editing accessible to everyone who can describe what they want. AI is beginning to democratize creative work that used to require technical expertise.
Jeremy Caplan of WonderTools
AI Definitions: Tokenization
/Tokenization - The process where an LLM creates a digital representation (a token) of a real thing—everything gets a number; words are translated into numbers. Think of a token as the root of a word. “Creat” is the “root” of many words, for instance, including Create, Creative, Creator, Creating, and Creation. “Create” would be an example of a token. Examples
More AI definitions here
Give people you don’t know a fair chance
/When you look at a person, any person, remember that everyone has a story. Everyone has gone through something that has changed them, and forced them to grow. Every passing face on the street represents a story every bit as compelling and complicated as yours. We meet no ordinary people in our lives. If you give them a chance, everyone has something amazing to offer. So appreciate the possibility of new relationships as you naturally let go of old ones that no longer work. Trust your judgment. Embrace new relationships, knowing that you are entering into unfamiliar territory. Be ready to learn, be ready for a challenge, and be ready to meet someone that might just change your life forever.
18 Webinars this Week about AI, Journalism & Media
/Mon, Dec 9 - 30 Minute Skills: Freelance Photography
What: Learn: What to expect when working as an independent photographer. How you can attract clients and build your portfolio. The best business practices for new freelance photographers.
When: 12 pm, Eastern
Where: Zoom
Cost: Free
Sponsor: The New England First Amendment Coalition
Mon, Dec 9 - Teaching Students to Use Artificial Intelligence Ethically
What: Ways that teachers can build classroom structures and culture that promote the ethical use of AI.
Who: Paul Cancellieri, a National Board-Certified science teacher.
When: 3 pm, Eastern
Where: Zoom
Cost: Free
Sponsor: Solution Tree, Education Week
Mon, Dec 9 - Women in Writing, Editing, and Publishing
What: Hear from a panel of accomplished alumni discussing their work within the field of writing, editing, and publishing, including advice on getting hired and rewards and challenges of the industry. Participate in a lively Q&A session with the full range of panelists. Engage in interactive breakout sessions for personalized advice and valuable networking.
Who: Lucy Feldman, Senior Editor at TIME; Suzy Becker, Author & Illustrator; Natasha Noel AM Writer, Poet & Educational Leader; Taylor Michael Freelance Journalist & Adjunct Instructor.
When: 6 pm, Eastern
Where: Zoom
Cost: Free
Sponsor: Brown University Women's Network (BWN) and the Women's Launch Pad
Tue, Dec 10 - Sound Evidence with Lawrence Abu Hamdan
What: A webinar looking at how journalists can make use of technologies and techniques within forensic audio analysis to enhance their investigations.
Who: Founder and Director of Investigations of Earshot, Lawrence Abu Hamdan; Beauregard Tromp,
convenor of the African Investigative Journalism Conference.
When: 7 am, Eastern
Where: Zoom
Cost: Free
Sponsor: The Wits Centre for Journalism, International Fund for Public Interest Media
Tue, Dec 10 - Lessons Learned from Investigating the 2024 Elections
What: Three senior reporters based in countries that have faced key elections during 2024 will discuss innovative techniques, cross-border collaborations, and the critical importance of investigative journalism in fostering transparency and accountability in elections. The panel will address why investigative journalists should remain hopeful and how their work is more essential than ever to protect the integrity of democracies worldwide.
Who: Poonam Agarwal is an acclaimed investigative journalist from India; Ewald Scharfenberg is an award-winning investigative journalist and co-founder of Armando.info, a leading investigative journalism outlet in Venezuela; Thandi Smith has worked for Media Monitoring Africa for about 12 years and is currently Head of Programmes for the organization; The moderator is Sheila Coronel, director of the Stabile Center for Investigative Journalism at Columbia Journalism School and a pioneering investigative journalist from the Philippines.
When: 9 am, Eastern
Where: Zoom
Cost: Free
Sponsor: Global Investigative Journalism Network
Tue, Dec 10 - A Brand-Aware AI Content Strategy
What: Discover how AI is shaping the future of marketing, from content to experience and everything in between. You’ll find out: What brand-aware AI is, and how to leverage it for better content; Strategies to enhance your brand voice, rather than flatten it, using AI; Tips for integrating this approach into your existing workflows.
Who: Michele Fisher, Global Director, Business Strategy, Microsoft; Kelly Masters Senior Product Marketing Manager, Sitecore.
When: 1 pm, Eastern
Where: Zoom
Cost: Free
Sponsor: AdWeek
Tue, Dec 10 - AI Innovator Collaborative
What: The December meeting of the AI Innovator Collaborative, a regular gathering for ONA members already using AI in journalism to connect and share ideas.
When: 3 pm, Eastern
Where: Zoom
Cost: Free to ONA members
Sponsor: Online News Association
Tue, Dec 10 - Global Trust in News
What: Global trust in news, the pace of technological change and the future of journalism.
Who: Bill Gross CEO, ProRata & Chair, Idealab; Faye D’Souza Journalist & Entrepreneur.
When: 10:30 am, Eastern
Where: Zoom
Cost: Free
Sponsor: Washington Post, The Ey Organization
Wed, Dec 11 - Exploring ChatGPT and Conversational AI
What: We will explore what conversational AI is as well as the risks, benefits, and considerations when utilizing this technology. Key learning objectives for this session include: Understanding what conversational AI is and looking at examples, such as ChatGPT; Recognizing what responsible use of conversational AI looks like; Identifying strategies for educating adult patrons about the implications of using conversational AI.
Who: Michael Spikes, Director of the Teach for Chicago Journalism project and a lecturer at Northwestern University’s Medill School of Journalism; Kristen Calvert serves as the Events & Programs Administrator for Dallas Public Library.
When: 1 pm, Eastern
Where: Zoom
Cost: Free
Sponsor: American Library Association
Wed, Dec 11 - How to Build a Chatbot Using Gen AI: Accelerating Learning Through Conversation
What: We'll explore the fascinating neuroscience behind chatbot learning, walk you through the step-by-step process of designing your own chatbot, and equip you with essential dos and don'ts for effective implementation.
Who: Margie Meacham is an expert in adapting AI technology to accelerate learning and support performance. She teaches training organizations around the world how to leverage AI for education and training.
When: 3 pm, Eastern
Where: Zoom
Cost: Free
Sponsor: Training Magazine Network
Wed, Dec 11 - Leveraging Emerging Technologies for Equitable Content Creation
What: How to integrate new technologies like virtual reality, 3D printing, and podcasting equipment to foster equitable content creation. The session will highlight ways to ensure these technologies are accessible to all users and how they can be used to elevate underrepresented voices in media production. Following the presentation, attendees will join breakout rooms for further discussion and connection.
Who: Paris Whalon is the Student Success Librarian for Media Literacy at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville.
When: 12 pm, Eastern
Where: Zoom
Cost: Free
Sponsor: Media Education Lab
Wed, Dec 11 - Fact-Checking Tools and Best Practices
What: We’ll explore ways to fight back against misinformation and disinformation during post-election coverage. We’ll use tools such as Google Fact-Check Explorer to track fact-checked images and stories. We’ll use 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. Participants get a handout with links to tools and exercise materials.
Who: Mike Reilley Senior Lecturer, University of Illinois-Chicago.
When: 3 pm, Eastern
Where: Zoom
Cost: Free
Sponsor: RTDNA/Google News Initiative
Wed, Dec 11 - Shaping Education for Generation Alpha in an Era of AI
What: Members of the National Council of Innovative Instructional Leaders will identify challenges, offer suggestions, and discuss the necessary mindsets and critical components of a successful AI launch and implementation. They’ll also highlight key takeaways from NCIIL’s recent report, Shaping Education for Generation Alpha in an Era of AI.
Who: Jeff McCoy, Associate Superintendent for Academics, Greenville County Schools (SC); Kimberley Markus, CEO, Education Advisors; Casey Rimmer, Executive Director of K-12 Curriculum and Instruction, Union County Public Schools (NC); Shawn Bird, Deputy Superintendent, San Antonio Independent School District (TX); and Jennifer Ferrari, CEO and President, ERDI.
When: 12 pm, Eastern
Where: Zoom
Cost: Free
Sponsor: Education Research and Development Institute
Thu, Dec 12 - Engaging Gen Z Audiences: Strategies for Local Newsrooms
What: This session will provide valuable insights into the current media landscape, Gen Z’s news consumption habits, and practical strategies for local newsrooms and independent publishers to effectively reach and engage this crucial demographic.
Who: Award-winning journalist and digital consultant Adriana Lacy.
When: 2 pm, Eastern
Where: Zoom
Cost: Free (though you have to sign up for a newsletter)
Sponsor: Indiegraf
Thu, Dec 12 - Teaching AI Ethics and Accountability: The Digital World is Ours
What: Should educators adapt and find ways to increasingly incorporate generative AI in the classroom? How do schools educate students about this ever-growing technology, its language models, prompt engineering, and the possible positive uses? Should an “Introduction to AI” course be incorporated into curricula? If so, what would be its content? We will explore these emerging questions during this session.
Who: Karen Rezach, Director of the Ethics Institute, Kent Place School (NJ); Kimberly Pearson, Director of Technology, Kent Place School (NJ); and a Panel of High School Students.
When: 3 pm, Eastern
Where: Zoom
Cost: Free
Sponsor: The Ethics Institute at Kent Place School, Artificial Intelligence in Education
Thu, Dec 12 - Unlocking Creativity: Using ChatGPT to Generate Gamification Ideas and Storylines
What: This session is designed to show you how to harness the power of ChatGPT, an advanced AI language model, to craft compelling gamification concepts and storylines that captivate your audience.
Who: Monica Cornetti, Founder and President, Sententia Inc.; Rasha Morsi, Ph.D. Professor of Computer Science and Director of the Creative Gaming and Simulation (CGS) Lab, Norfolk State University; Musbah Abdulgader, Ph.D. Assistant Professor, Norfolk State University.
When: 3 pm, Eastern
Where: Zoom
Cost: Free
Sponsor: Training Magazine Network
Fri, Dec 13 - What are my digital protections? How to handle (and prevent) online threats as a journalist
What: How to recognize the types of online harassment journalists face most often; When to ignore online harassment and when to take action; What to do when online harassment crosses into illegal territory; Steps you can take right now to help protect your digital presence.
Who: Tat Bellamy-Walker, Program Manager of Digital Safety Training and Resources (Media) at PEN America; María Salazar Ferro, Director of Newsroom Safety and Resilience at The New York Times; Greg Lipper, a D.C.-based litigator with extensive experience in criminal defense and investigations, and First Amendment and media law.
When: 11 am, Eastern
Where: Zoom
Cost: Free
Sponsor: National Press Club Journalism Institute
Fri, Dec 13 - How to Find Journalism-Adjacent Freelance Work
What: Learn how to find work in content marketing, branding, communications and other fields that are adjacent to journalism, and how to adjust to the different demands of this work. Panelists will discuss how to network to good clients, handling yourself ethically, and what kinds of organizations are eager to hire journalists
Who: Ricardo Baca, founder and CEO of Grasslands; Mary Melton, Editor-at-Large, Alta Journal; Stacy Brooks Whatley, Chief Communications & Marketing Officer, American Counseling Association.
When: 12 pm, Eastern
Where: Zoom
Cost: Free
Sponsor: The Institute for Independent Journalists
No one Thinks They are Average
/Research shows just about all of us think we are more competent than our coworkers, more ethical than our friends, friendlier than the general public, more intelligent than our peer, more attractive than the average person, less prejudiced than people in our region, younger-looking than people the same age, better drivers than most people we know, better children than our siblings, and that we will live longer than the average lifespan.
(As you just read that list, maybe you said to yourself, “No, I don’t think I’m better than everyone.” So you think you’re more honest with yourself than the average person? You are not so smart.)
No one, it seems, believes he or she is part of the population contributing to the statistics generating averages. You don’t believe you are an average person, but you do believe everyone else is. This tendency, which springs from self-serving bias, is called the illusory superiority effect.
In 1999, Justin Kruger at the New York University Stern School of Business showed illusory superiority was more likely to manifest in the minds of subject when they were told ahead of time a certain task was easy. When they rated their abilities after being primed to think the task was considered simple, people said they performed better than average. When he then told people where were about to perform a task that was difficult they rated their performance as being below average even when it wasn’t .
No matter the actual difficulty, just telling people ahead of time how hard the undertaking would be changed how they saw themselves in comparison to an imagined average. To defeat feelings of inadequacy, you first have to imagine a task as being simple and easy. If you can manage to do that, illusory superiority takes over.
David McRaney, You are Not so Smart
The intersection of Science & AI in 15 Articles
/AI scans RNA ‘dark matter’ and uncovers 70,000 new viruses – Nature
AI could soon be making major scientific discoveries. A machine could even win a Nobel Prize one day – The Conversation
AI's scientific path to trust – Axios
AI-Assisted Genome Studies Are Riddled with Errors – The Scientist
AI helps scientists track ‘twangy’ whales – Washington Post
Unleashing the power of AI in science-key considerations for materials data preparation - Nature
AI scientists are producing a host of new theories of how our brains learn – The Economist
Ex-Meta scientists debut gigantic AI protein design model - Nature
AI model harnesses physics to autocorrect remote sensing data - Phys.org
Could science be fully automated? A team of machine-learning researchers has now tried. - Nature
A new ‘AI scientist’ can write science papers without any human input. Here’s why that’s a problem – The Conversation
How do you tame AI? Scientist sees a need for regulating bots like drugs or airplanes - Geekwire
AI-generated images threaten science — here’s how researchers hope to spot them – Nature
Japanese scientists were pioneers of AI, yet they’re being written out of its history - The Conversation
AI System Spots Early Warning Signs Of Alzheimer’s Through Mouse Behavior – Science Blog
Tricking an AI Detector
/“Tricking an AI detector into labeling human-written content as machine-made is surprisingly simple. With just a little rephrasing, what was previously flagged with "100% confidence" as AI-generated can suddenly be labeled ‘Likely original.’" -Mashable
The Last Person on Earth
/Of any activity you do, ask yourself: If I were the last person on earth, would I still do it? If you are alone on a planet a hierarchical structure makes no sense. There’s no one to impress. So, if you’d still pursue that activity, congratulations. If we were the last person on earth, would we still show up at the studio, the rehearsal hall, the laboratory?
Steven Pressfield, The War of Art
22 Articles about AI & Ethics
/AI Jesus' avatar tests man's faith in machines and the divine – Associated Press
We need to start wrestling with the ethics of AI agents – MIT Tech Review
Military takes on question of when AI is the right thing to do – Military Aerospace
The Technology for Autonomous Weapons Exists. What Now? – Undark
OpenAI is funding Duke University to research ‘AI morality’ – Tech Crunch
An Introduction to Explainable AI (XAI) – KD Nuggets
Mickey Mouse Smoking: How AI Image Tools Are Generating New Content-Moderation Problems – Wall Street Journal
AI firms must play fair when they use academic data in training – Nature
Is Using AI tools innovation or exploitation? 3 ways to think about the ethics – The Conversation
Publication Ethics in the Era of Artificial Intelligence – Journal of Korean Medical Science
Police officers are starting to use AI chatbots to write crime reports. Will they hold up in court? – Associated Press
Shedding light on AI's black box – Axios
End-of-life decisions are difficult and distressing. Could AI help? – MIT Tech Review
UN adopts first resolution on artificial intelligence - AP
How Pope Francis became the AI ethicist for world leaders and tech titans – Washington Post
AI models can vastly increase job candidate pools. It might also improve diversity. – Semafor
Can AI police itself? Experts say chatbots can detect each other’s gaffes. – Washington Post
Is AI my co-author? The ethics of using artificial intelligence in scientific publishing – Taylor & Francis
When it comes to using AI in journalism, put audience and ethics first - Poynter
The role of legal teams in creating AI ethics guardrails – Legal Dive
New Book Explores Promise and Perils of AI for Scientific Community – Annenberg Public Policy Center
AI without limits threatens public trust — here are some guidelines for preserving communications integrity - The Conversation
Resilient in the face of Trauma
/For at least a century, psychologists have assumed that terrible events—such as having a loved one die or becoming the victim of a violent crime—must have a powerful, devastating, and enduring impact on those who experience them. This assumption has been so deeply embedded in our conventional wisdom that people who don’t have dire reactions to events such as those are sometimes diagnosed as having a pathological condition known as “absent grief.” But recent research suggests that the conventional wisdom is wrong that the absence of grief is quite normal, and that rather than being the fragile flowers that a century of psychologists have made us out to be, most people are surprisingly resilient in the face of trauma. The loss of a parent or spouse is usually sad and often tragic, and it would be perverse to suggest otherwise.
But as one group of researchers noted, “Resilience is often the most commonly observed outcome trajectory following exposure to a potentially traumatic event.” Instead, studies of those who survive major traumas suggest that the vast majority do quite well, and that a significant portion claim that their lives were enhanced by the experience
Why do most of us shake our heads in disbelief when an athlete who has been through several grueling years of chemotherapy tells us that “I wouldn’t change anything,” or when a musician who has become permanently disabled says, “If I had it to do all over again, I would want it to happen the same way,” or when quadriplegics and paraplegics tell us that they are pretty much as happy as everyone else? The claim made by people who have experienced events such as these seem frankly outlandish to those of us who are merely imagining those events—and yet, who are we to argue with the folks who’ve actually been there?
The fact is that negative events do affect us, but they generally don’t affect us as much or for as long as we expect them to.
Daniel Gilbert, Stumbling into Happiness
The Gender Gap in AI Use
/"Half of all men reported having used generative AI over the previous 12 months, while only 37% of women did. Studies show that women are less likely to trust technology and that men are more likely to be confident in their tech savvy." -Bloomberg
I have learned
/I have learned, that if one advances confidently in the direction of his dreams, and endeavors to live the life he has imagined, he will meet with a success unexpected in common hours. –Henry David Thoreau
19 Recent Articles about AI & Journalism
/Three experts discuss the rise of low-quality content and its implications for the profession, the news industry and the public sphere. – Reuters Institute
Discussing the future of journalism: From conflict to AI – Vatican News
The AI Reporter That Took My Old Job Just Got Fired – Wired
Creating an AI chatbot to speak to a country’s budget – Reuters Institute
Particle launches an AI news app to help publishers, instead of just stealing their work – Tech Crunch
The Washington Post's new generative A.I. tool, "Ask The Post" – Washington Post
AI firms need media more than they admit – Axios
'Garbage in, garbage out': AI fails to debunk disinformation, study finds – VOA News
How Journalism Groups in Africa Are Building AI Tools to Aid Investigations and Fact-Checking – Global Investigative Journalism Network
Using AI to sift through federal regulations for news tips – Fast Company
94% of people want journalists to disclose their use of Al – Trusting News
Using AI in PR: Experts explain how AI is enhancing PR workflows – Muckrock
When it comes to using AI in journalism, put audience and ethics first - Poynte
Three predictions about AI’s impact on FOIA and how you can help – Muckrock
How is AI being used in journalism? – IBM
Lawrence student journalists recognized for fighting district’s use of AI surveillance – Lawrence Times
Five Canadian news media outlets sue OpenAI for copyright breach – Al Jazeera
Study of ChatGPT citations makes dismal reading for publishers – Tech Crunch
AI Jesus in Swiss Chapel
/“Researchers and religious leaders released findings from a two-month experiment through art in a Catholic chapel in Switzerland, where an avatar of "Jesus" on a computer screen, tucked into a confessional, took questions by visitors on faith, morality and modern-day woes, and offered responses based on Scripture. Those behind the project said it was largely a success: Visitors often came out moved or deep in thought, and found it easy to use.” -Associated Press
18 Free Webinars This Week about AI, Journalism, Media & More
/Mon, Dec 2 - Conspiracy Theories & the 2024 US Election
What: We’ll examine the falsehoods that gained momentum in the weeks leading up to the general election and those that have emerged in its aftermath. Drawing from both recent and historical examples, we’ll explore how conspiracy theories influence democratic processes, public trust, and media coverage. Through the lens of media literacy and critical thinking strategies like the SIFT framework, participants will engage with the broader cultural and political impacts of these narratives and discuss tools for navigating misinformation in a polarized landscape.
Who: Wesley Fryer, STEM and media literacy teacher
When: 12 pm, Eastern
Where: Zoom
Cost: Free
Sponsor: Media Education Lab
Mon, Dec 2 - Leveraging Short-Form Video: Instagram Reels, and YouTube Shorts
What: Expertise on creating impactful short-form videos. Learn how to: Use Instagram Reels and YouTube Shorts to grow your audience. Create engaging video content that boosts brand visibility. Apply practical techniques for effective video marketing.
Who: Junior Consultant & Photography Expert Gabriela Fialova and Junior Consultant & Digital Content Team Coordinator Austin Moyer.
When: 5 pm, Eastern
Where: Zoom
Cost: Free
Sponsor: Small Business Development Center, Widener University
Tue, Dec 3 - How To Make Ocean Stories Thrive in Your Newsroom
What: Go behind the scenes of the project, that explores the state of ocean reporting, identifies gaps in media coverage, and proposes new ways to enhance storytelling. What environmental editors look for in stories, and explore how to engage audiences with compelling ocean storytelling.
Who: Benji Jones, an environmental journalist and photographer based in New York; Jennifer Adler, an underwater photojournalist based in California; Jessica Aldred runs the Pulitzer Center's ocean reporting fellowships and grants program; Paige Vega, Vox's climate editor.
When: 11 am, Eastern
Where: Zoom
Cost: Free
Sponsor: Pulitzer Center
Tue, Dec 3 - Introduction to AI for Nonprofits
What: Discover how AI tools can improve your nonprofit's website experience and marketing strategy.
Who: Jon Hill, Tapp Network Web Project Manager; Tareq Monuar, Web Developer
When: 1 pm, Eastern
Where: Zoom
Cost: Free
Sponsor: TechSoup
Tue, Dec 3 - GenAI: Navigating changes to the scholarly literature research process
What: Learn more about potential impacts of GenAI on search and discovery and Elsevier’s GenAI literacy program.
Who: Emily Singley Vice President, North American Library Relations Elsevier; Pam Vitu Manager, Customer Engagement Marketing Elsevier; Lingni Zhou Director Product Management Elsevier.
When: 1 pm, Eastern
Where: Zoom
Cost: Free
Sponsor: Elsevier
Tue, Dec 3 - Using Generative AI Tools for Optimizing Writing and Research
What: This workshop will demonstrate how instructors can enhance writing and research with more effective and comprehensive searches. Participants will need a smart device to explore AI tools such as Perplexity, Consensus, ChatGPT, and Claude along with the session facilitators.
Who: Maria Barefoot Associate Librarian and Online Learning Librarian, University of Delaware; AI Literacy & Content Creation, University of Delaware.
When: 1 pm, Eastern
Where: Zoom
Cost: Free
Sponsor: University of Delaware
Tue, Dec 3 - Introduction to Solutions Journalism
What: Explore the basic principles and pillars of solutions journalism, talk about why it’s important, explain key steps in reporting a solutions story, and share tips and resources for journalists interested in investigating how people are responding to social problems. We will also explore additional resources we have on hand for your reporting, including the Solutions Story Tracker, a database of more than 15,000 stories tagged by beat, publication, author, location, and more, a virtual heat map of what’s working around the world.
When: 6 pm, Eastern
Where: Zoom
Cost: Free
Sponsor: Solutions Journalism
Wed, Dec 4 - Building Effective Rubrics with ChatGPT
What: In this workshop, you’ll learn how to leverage ChatGPT to develop rubrics that directly align with your assignment instructions. We’ll ensure that students can easily see the connection between the assignment directions and the rubric criteria, with all requirements clearly reflected in both.
Who: Rachel Lapp, Instructional Designer, University of Delaware,
When: 10 am, Eastern
Where: Zoom
Cost: Free
Sponsor: University of Delaware
Wed, Dec 4 - How to Make Criminal Justice Reporting Accessible in the Classroom
What: This is a session for journalism educators and advisors to have a dialogue on how to share criminal justice datasets and reporting resources with student journalists, so they can hit the ground running on topics such as: Conditions in jails and prisons, The political opinions of incarcerated people, Correctional officer shortages, Book bans behind bars.
Who: David Eads, Data Editor, The Marshall Project; Nicole Lewis, Engagement Editor, The Marshall Project.
When: 12 pm, Eastern
Where: Zoom
Cost: Free
Sponsor: The Marshall Project, the Student Press Law Center and the Center for Community News at the University of Vermont.
Wed, Dec 4 - Podcast Marketing 101
What: A discussion of the best tactics for podcast growth. Get an exclusive look at The Podglomerate's tried-and-true playbook (used for their acclaimed podcast clients like PBS, Netflix, and Harvard) for optimized podcast publicity, marketing, cross-promotions, app features, and paid acquisition.
Who: Webby Award-winning judge Joni Deutsch, SVP of Marketing & Audience Development at The Podglomerate; Nick Borenstein, General Manager, Webby Award
When: 1 pm, Eastern
Where: Zoom
Cost: Free
Sponsor: Webby Awards
Wed, Dec 4 - Bystander Intervention: How to be an ally when you witness online abuse
What: Abusive trolls are joining forces to disproportionately target writers and journalists to intimidate, discredit, and silence. Each and every one of us can be an ally. Join for this interactive training, where we’ll give you the tools you need to intervene safely and effectively when you witness online abuse.
Who: Gisela Pérez de Acha Consultant and Trainer, Online Abuse Defense Program; Amelia Prochaska Training and Facilitation Specialist, Right to Be.
When: 2 pm, Eastern
Where: Zoom
Cost: Free
Sponsor: PEN America and Right To Be
Wed, Dec 4 - The Power of Storytelling in Fundraising: How to Reach the Right Audience with Your Mission
What: In this webinar, we will share how the power of storytelling in tandem with tailored, targeted messaging can help you reach the right audience with your mission to help you fundraise and build loyalty in your community year round. We will also show you the Constant Contact tools you can use to segment and grow your list and discuss how to use AI and multichannel campaigns to reach them at the right place and the right time.
Who: Thomas Nettesheim, Constant Contact Partner Success Manager and Sales Engineer
When: 2 pm, Eastern
Where: Zoom
Cost: Free
Sponsor: TechSoup
Wed, Dec 4 - Multi-Platform Branding: Consistency Across Digital and Physical Spaces
What: How to create a consistent brand experience across both digital and physical platforms. You’ll learn: How to maintain brand consistency across various channels. Best practices for aligning digital and offline branding. Ways to enhance customer trust and recognition through cohesive branding.
Who: Branding Specialist Ricky Fitts, Social Media Specialist Casey Remolde.
When: 5 pm, Eastern
Where: Zoom
Cost: Free
Sponsor: Small Business Development Center, Widener University
Thu, Dec 5 - Simplify and Contextualize Your Audience Data with Metrics for News
What: Hear from newsrooms from the U.S. and Canada that use API’s Metrics for News (MFN) to launch new products, present journalism in new formats, stop producing what isn’t working and improve reader experiences.
Who: Erin Lebar, Manager of Audience Engagement for News, Winnepeg Free Press; Elizabeth Couch, Director of Audience Engagement, Crain’s City Brands; headshot of Liz Worthington Liz Worthington Director of Product Strategy, American Press Institute.
When: 12:30 pm, Eastern
Where: Zoom
Cost: Free
Sponsor: American Press Institute
Thu, Dec 5 - America in the age of AI
What: The impact of AI across industries and the race for global technological primacy.
Who: Palantir CTO Shyam Sankar, Runway CEO Cristóbal Valenzuela and top economic experts.
When: 4:30 Eastern
Where: Zoom
Cost: Free
Sponsor: The Washington Post
Thu, Dec 5 – The Futurist: The Age of AI
What: The impact of AI across industries and the race for global technological primacy.
Who: Palantir CTO Shyam Sankar, Runway CEO Cristóbal Valenzuela, McKinsey Global Institute director Kweilin Ellingrud and New York University Stern School of Business chief AI architect Conor Grennan
When: 4:30 pm, Eastern
Where: Zoom
Cost: Free
Sponsor: Washington Post, IBM
Fri, Dec 6 - Introduction to Reporting on AI
What: This webinar is designed for reporters interested in getting started but with minimal or no knowledge of AI. We will dissect what makes a good AI accountability story, from quick turnarounds to more ambitious investigations, and dig deeper into a few examples.
Who: Gabriel Geiger, an Amsterdam-based investigative journalist specializing in surveillance and algorithmic accountability reporting.
When: 3:30 am, Eastern
Where: Zoom
Cost: Free
Sponsor: Pulitzer Center and the Arab Reporters for Investigative Journalism
Fri, Dec 6 - Presidential Transition Briefing: What journalists should know about the transfer of power before Inauguration Day
What: This virtual briefing will help journalists understand the post-election milestones and planning requirements that presidents-elect must follow to ensure a smooth, effective transfer of power — and what happens when the incoming administration has not followed the traditional process.
Who: Max Stier, founding president and CEO of the Partnership for Public Service; Valerie Smith Boyd, director of the Center for Presidential Transition.
When: 11 am, Eastern
Where: Zoom
Cost: Free
Sponsor: National Press Club, The Partnership for Public Service
A Good Sign
/This is a good sign, having a broken heart. It means we have tried for something. -Elizabeth Gilbert
Daring the Good
/Our doubts are traitors, and make us lose the good we oft might win by fearing to attempt. –Shakespeare
27 Articles about Data Science & AI
/The way we measure progress in AI is terrible Many of the most popular benchmarks for AI models are outdated or poorly designed. – MIT Tech Review
Multimodal AI: The Future of Enterprise Intelligence? – Information Week
A discussion of data labeling for AI geospatial intelligence – Space News
18 Recent Articles about AI’s future
AI Research Roundup including multi-modal LLM reasoning, 3D mesh generation with LLMs, image editing with AI, training code LLMs, and more - Pat McGuinness
AI Definitions: Test-time training (TTT)
10 Critical AI Concepts Explained in 5 Minutes – KD Nuggets
The NRO—how it got here and it’s ongoing mission – Center for Strategic & International Studies
AI Definitions: Structured Query Language, SQL
Generative AI Is Still Just a Prediction Machine – Harvard Business Review
12 Articles about AI & the Military
Liquid foundation models promise competition for LLMs—here's how - Diginomica
What AI Will Do To Data Science – Hakernoon
AI Definitions: Liquid Foundation Models (LFM)
Getting The Biggest ROI On Your Digital Twin – Semi-engineering
Scaling Laws for Pre-training Agents and World Models – Arxiv
Palantir moves into military and spy work by striking deals with AI developers – Gizmodo
Is ‘Big AI’ beating 'small AI'—and what does it mean for the military? – Defense One
Chinese researchers develop AI model for military use on back of Meta's Llama - Reuters
AI Definitions: Agentic AI Agents
Agentic AI: How Large Language Models Are Shaping the Future of Autonomous Agents – Unite AI
How agentic AI handles the speed and volume of modern threats – HelpNetSecurity
AI Definitions: Predictive analytics
An opinion piece about “What AI Will Do To Data Science – Hackernoon
NGA Eyes Multimodal AI in Next Phase of Geospatial Analysis - GovCIO