15 Articles about the Business of Running an AI

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16 Webinars about AI, Journalism, SEO, Writing, Branding & More in the next 2 weeks

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Tue, Feb 6 - Putting People First: A New Approach to Political Coverage

What: This webinar will help those who want an effective alternative to horse-race coverage, which is polarizing and often misleading.

Who: Jaisal Noor, Democracy Initiative manager at The Solutions Journalism Network; Jay Rosen, a journalism professor at New York University; Natalie Van Hoozer, a bilingual journalist at KUNR Public Radio in Nevada; Hugo Balta, an accredited solutions journalism trainer and publisher at Latino News Network; and Elliot Wade, a community reporter at The Current of Louisiana.

When: 12 noon, Eastern

Where: Zoom

Cost: Free

Sponsor: The Knight Center for Journalism, Solutions Journalism Network

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Tue, Feb 6 - Search Engine Optimization (SEO) 101: Proven Strategies to Improve Website Traffic

What: Learn more the importance of Search Engine Optimization (SEO) and tips and tools for optimizing your website to better communicate with the top search engines: Google, Yahoo, and Bing. The webinar will also provide insight into website content, backlinks, and keywords.  

When: 10 am

Where: Zoom

Cost: Free

Sponsor: The University of Pittsburgh’s Small Business Development Center

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Tue, Feb 6 - The Investigative Agenda for Climate Change Journalism

What: In this panel, leading climate change journalists and experts — who all contributed to the discussion and report — will share perspectives on the top priorities for investigative journalism on climate change, including the fossil fuel industry, government policies, climate change finance, and the interface between climate and socio-economic forces.

Who: The moderator is Sheila Coronel, professor of journalism and director of the Stabile Center for Investigative Journalism at Columbia University’s Graduate School of Journalism in New York; Matthew Green is global investigations editor at DeSmog; Sunita Narain is the director general of the Centre for Science and Environment (CSE), a public interest research and advocacy organization based in New Delhi; Amy Westervelt is an award-winning investigative journalist and executive producer of the independent podcast production company Critical Frequency

When: 9 am, Eastern

Where: Zoom

Cost: Free

Sponsor: Global Investigative Journalism Network

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Tue, Feb 6 - The Rise of Al

What: New breakthroughs in artificial intelligence could lead to one of the largest technological shifts in generations and already have governments around the world racing to develop guardrails.

Who: Rep. Don Beyer (D-Va.), Rep. Marcus Molinaro (R-N.Y.); Anne Neuberger, deputy national security advisor for cyber and emerging technologies; Neal Khosla, CEO and co-founder of Curai; Linda Moore President & CEO, TechNet; Rep. Anna Eshoo (D-Calif.)

When: 9 am, Eastern

Where: Zoom

Cost: Free

Sponsor: TechNet, Washington Post

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Wed, Feb 7 - Election data: Before election night, during and after

What: Three newsrooms talk about how they approach election data storytelling at each stage in the cycle, from explainers to prepare voters, to Election Night rigs and dashboards and how to prepare for post-election visual analysis.

When: 2 pm, Eastern

Where: Zoom

Cost: Free to members, $25 for student membership

Sponsor: Investigative Reporters & Editors

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Thu, Feb 8 - Student Press Freedom 101

What: A crash course in the law of the student press, including the court cases and advocacy that led us to where we are.

Who: Featuring the Student Press Law Center’s Senior Legal Counsel Mike Hiestand.

When: 6 pm, Central

Where: Zoom

Cost: Free

Sponsor: Student Press Law Center

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Thu, Feb 8 - Ethics and Visual Journalism  

What: There will be a discussion of the foundational standard of ethics and how this framework continues to evolve as the world of journalism changes and practical factors like technology influence visual journalists’ work. This conversation will also focus on the shift in how communities receive and value challenging imagery, and how these changing attitudes influence ethical debates and norms. The discussion will also include how a new generation of storytellers is shaping this debate, and share their thoughts on the future trajectory of photojournalistic ethics.

Who: Fred Ritchin and Andrea Wise; moderator Jenn Poggi with The Kalish Workshop.

When: 7 pm, Central

Where: Zoom

Cost: Free

Sponsor: Santa Fe Workshops

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Thu, Feb 8 - Beyond Breaking News: Local Journalism’s Role in Disaster Recovery

What: The critical role of the media in long-term recovery, including one that is often overlooked: To monitor recovery activities and hold to account the government, funders and others involved so that no community is left behind. The panel will answer questions such as: Why and how should donors invest in nonprofit journalism? What is the unique role of local coverage in disasters? How can funders and media work together?  While primarily aimed at funders, the webinar may also be of interest to emergency managers, government staff, academics, journalists, disaster responders and nongovernmental organization staff interested in, or working on, disasters and other crises.

Who: Paul Cheung, CEO of the Center for Public Integrity and CDP board member, will moderate; Glenn Gamboa, Philanthropy Editor, The Associated Press; Pu Ying Huang, Director of Photography, Texas Tribune; Vincent Stehle, Executive Director, Media Impact Funders

When: 1 pm, Eastern

Where: Zoom

Cost: Free

Sponsor: United Philanthropy Forum, Giving Compass   

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Fri, Feb 9 – Covering Firearm Violence: How journalists can reframe their reporting

What: The gaps, go-to resources, and facts and myths about firearms and firearm ownership. Participants will also learn: The differences among firearm violence, such as what is a mass casualty event versus a mass shooting Where to find new research on firearm violence How news coverage of firearm violence impacts victims and frontline health workers How to move thinking of firearm violence as “the crime beat” to more nuanced coverage across beat

Who: Dr. Jessica Beard, director of research at The Philadelphia Center for Gun Violence Reporting;  Abené Clayton, reporter on The Guardian’s Guns and Lies in America project; Jennifer Mascia, senior news writer and founding staffer at The Trace; Moderator: Kaitlin Washburn, health beat leader for firearm violence and trauma at the Association of Health Care Journalists and reporter for the Chicago Sun-Times.

When: 11:30 am, Eastern

Where: Zoom

Cost: Free

Sponsor: National Press Club

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Mon, Feb 12 - Op-Ed Boot Camp 

What: Student journalists, it’s time to take your op-ed writing and pitching skills to the next level. Learn everything you need to know to publish an op-ed that advocates for press freedom in your community.

Who: Featuring seasoned journalist Steve Holmes, formerly of the New York Times, Washington Post and CNN.

When: 8 pm, Eastern

Where: Zoom

Cost: Free

Sponsor: Student Press Law Center

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Mon, Feb 12 - Digital Content Transformation: Unveiling the Impact of Branding

What: Delve into the world of digital branding and discover its profound impact on business success. By the end of this seminar, you will be equipped with the essential tools and insights to either give your existing brand a digital makeover or start building a new brand with a solid foundation in the digital world. Our experts will guide you through the intricacies of branding in the digital age, offering practical advice and innovative strategies to revamp or create your brand effectively. 

Who: Carolyn Kerkowski, the PA Desk Assistant Program Coordinator and Lead Brand Specialist; Alexa Fink, a skilled Digital Strategy and Photo Specialist, bring a wealth of knowledge and experience to the table.

When: 5 pm, Eastern

Where: Zoom

Cost: Free

Sponsor: Small Business Development Center at the University of Pennsylvania

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Tue, Feb 13 - Digital Dangers: Protecting Against Online Harassment 

What: Student journalists are increasingly contending with the threat of online harassment, which attempts to intimidate them into silence. Learn from those who know first-hand the tools available to protect and support yourself (or your students).

Who: Featuring Taylor Lorenz, technology columnist at The Washington Post; Sarah Swetlik, The Greenville News; and Pratika Katiyar, SPLC student board member. 

When: 7 pm, Eastern

Where: Zoom

Cost: Free

Sponsor: Student Press Law Center

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Tue, Feb 13 - Narrative investigations

What: This workshop will focus on the tools you need to craft compelling narratives while unveiling or building on investigations.

Who: Houston Chronicle reporter Andrea Ball

When: 1 pm, Eastern

Where: Zoom

Cost: Free

Sponsor: Investigative Reporters & Editors

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Wed, Feb 14 - Generative AI: How Hackers Exploit AI to Target Small Business Owners

What: We will delve into the intricate world of cyber threats. Witness firsthand sophisticated AI tactics used by malicious actors to exploit small business owners. In this session, you will:  Explore real-life instances showcasing the fusion of AI and cybercrime. Discover emerging dangers that could impact your business. Learn effective strategies to safeguard your company against AI-fueled scams.

Who: Dr. Teresa Piliouras, CEO and Founder, Technical Consulting & Research, Inc., is an IT consultant, educator, inventor, and author. Pui Lam (Raymond) Yu, Executive Vice President Engineering at Technical Consulting & Research, Inc., has over 20 years of industry experience in Cybersecurity, Software Engineering, and Systems Engineering.  

When: 12 noon, Eastern

Where: Zoom

Cost: Free

Sponsor: Small Business Development Center at the University of Pennsylvania

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Thu, Feb 15 - Mastering the Art of the Interview

What: This class, taught by a lifelong journalist, will teach you ten ways to conduct memorable, useful interviews that will have people buzzing long after they read, see, or hear them. Mastering the art of the interview will also help you get better sound bites for everything from a simple blog post to a complex documentary film.  

Who: Elaine Appleton Grant, a Loeb School instructor in podcasting and communications curricula.

When: 12 noon

Where: Zoom

Cost: Free

Sponsor: Nackey S Loeb School of Communications

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Thu, Feb 15 - Learn How to Use Google Analytics 4

What: A live walk-through and Q&A session. We will cover the new features, differences in metrics compared to Universal Analytics, and demonstrate common questions such as how to find traffic for a story and top referrers. This webinar is designed for beginners and will focus on building a basic understanding of how Google Analytics works, as well as different ways to use analytics to inform editorial decisions.

Who: Sophie Ho, Senior Newsroom Growth Expert, News Revenue Hub

When: 12 noon, Eastern

Where: Zoom

Cost: Free

Sponsor: News Revenue Hub

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I must be unlovable

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The child who is not loved by his parents will always assume himself or herself to be unlovable rather than see the parents as deficient in their capacity to love. Or early adolescents who are not successful at dating or at sports will see themselves as seriously deficient human beings rather than the late or even average but perfectly adequate bloomers they usually are. It is only through a vast amount of experience and a length and successful maturation that we gain the capacity to see the world and our place in it realistically, and thus are enabled to realistically assess our responsibility for ourselves and the world.

M Scott Peck
The Road Less Traveled

Perplexity Search

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“A start-up called Perplexity shows what’s possible for a search engine built from scratch with artificial intelligence. Perplexity doesn’t give you back a list of links. Instead, it scours the web for you and uses AI to write a summary of what it finds. One impressive Perplexity feature is ‘Copilot,’ which helps a user narrow down a query by asking clarifying questions. Perplexity also allows users to search within a specific set of sources, such as academic papers, YouTube videos or Reddit posts.”  http://tinyurl.com/y38eszvd

Time to Recharge

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A century ago, economists believed that you could predict how poor someone was by how much he or she worked. The whole point of earning wealth, they argued, was that it afforded you less toil and more downtime. But somewhere in the annals of America’s workaholic culture, putting in inhuman hours at your job became a status symbol, especially for the elite. 

You could argue these executives are doing what they love, and that meaningful work provides a real sense of fulfillment. But all that industriousness probably isn’t making them more creative or productive. Some of history’s most accomplished figures across science, math, and literature—people like Charles Darwin, Henri Poincaré, and Charles Dickens—insisted on working just four or five hours a day. The rest of their mornings and afternoons were filled with long walks and other leisurely pursuits that recharged their mental batteries and gave rise to creative ideas. 

Studies of exceptional performers and athletes reveal similar work/rest patterns, with just a few hours a day of serious, focused effort.  

Carolyn O’Hara writing in The Week Magazine

Additive Thinking

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We should avoid ruminating on what went wrong—“If only I hadn’t done that.” That’s called subtractive thinking. What works is additive thinking. Say you’re playing basketball: Rather than saying to yourself, “Oh, if only I’d made that shot,” think, “I have another strategy I didn’t use. Next time I’ll drive to the hole and then I can shoot or dish it.” If you think about things that didn’t happen that you’d like to do next time, you can prime your brain for better performance after a failure.

Po Bronson quoted in Wired magazine

15 Articles about Data Science & AI published in January

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Setbacks: Failure or a Sign of Learning?

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A decade long study published in Harvard Business Review set out to identify the specific attributes that differentiate high-performing CEOs. The researchers found:

CEOs who considered setbacks to be failures had 50% less chance of thriving. Successful CEOs, on the other hand, would offer unabashedly matter-of-fact accounts of where and why they had come up short and give specific examples of how they tweaked their approach to do better next time. Similarly, aspiring CEOs who demonstrated this kind of attitude (what Stanford’s Carol Dweck calls a “growth mindset”) were more likely to make it to the top of the pyramid: Nearly 90% of the strong CEO candidates we reviewed scored high on dealing with setbacks.

Read more about the CEO Genome Project in the Harvard Business Review

AI Definitions in Simple Language

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AI Definitions

Agents - Unlike AI prompts requiring user conversations, AI agents work in the background. Users provide a goal (from researching competitors to buying a car) and the agent acts independently, generating task list and starting to work. 

Artificial General Intelligence (AGI) - AI that possesses human-level intelligence that can evaluate complex situations, apply common sense, and learn and adapt.  Beyond the goal of AGI lies the more speculative notion of "sentient AI," the idea that these programs might cross some boundary to become aware of their own existence and even develop their own wishes and feelings. 

AI Evolution

  1. Generative AI sounds like a person.

  2. AGI (artificial general intelligence) reasons like a person.

  3. Sentient AI thinks it's a person.

AI model collapse - The idea that AI can eat itself by training on internet data until it runs out of fresh data and trains on it’s on product or the product of another AI. Thus, errors and bias are magnified and rare data is more likely to be lost.

AI winter  - A period where funding and interest in the field subsided considerably.

*Algorithms - Direct, specific instructions for computers created by a human through coding that tells the computer how to perform a task. This set of rules has a finite number of steps that instruct the computer how to perform a task. More specifically, it is code that follows the algorithmic logic of “if”, “then”, and “else.”  

See the Entire List

Why praising people for their intelligence can hurt them

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Dr. Carol Dweck gave every child a test that consisted of fairly easy puzzles. Afterward the  researcher informed all the children of their scores, adding a single six-word sentence of praise. Half the kids were praised for their intelligence (“You must be smart at this”) and half were praised for their effort (“You must have worked really hard”).

The kids were tested a second time but this time they were offered a choice between the harder test and an easier test. Ninety percent of the kids who’d been praised for their effort choice the harder test. A majority of the kids who’d been praised for the intelligence, on the other hand, chose the easy test. Why? “When we praise children for their intelligence.” Dweck wrote, “we tell them that that's the name of the game: look smart, don't risk making mistakes.”

The third level of tests was uniformly harder; none of the kids did well. However, the two groups of kids--the praised-for-effort group and the praised-for-intelligence group--responding very differently to the situation. “(The effort group) dug in and grew very involved with the test, trying solutions, testing strategies,” Dweck said. “They later said they liked it. But the group praised for its intelligence hated the harder test. They took it as proof they weren’t smart.

Daniel Coyle, The Talent Code

15 Quotes about Teaching & AI

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While it’s not necessary in every discipline, there are certain ones — like computer science or writing — where colleges will need to prepare their students for a future with AI in it. Chronicle of Higher Ed 

The advice that I gave to faculty was that you need to be trying this out. You need to at least be conversant in what your students are able to do, and think about your assignments and what this tool enables. What policies or what guidance are you gonna give students in terms of whether they are allowed to use it? In what way would you be allowed to use it? MIT Tech Review

There’s more of a danger in not teaching students how to use AI. If they’re not being taught under the mentorship of scholars and experts, they may be using it in ways that are either inappropriate or not factual or unethical. Chronicle of Higher Ed 

I am no less human because I received help in thinking about things. All AI is, when understood, is a little help, a guide on the road to insight. I hope we continue to teach our students, using all tools available, and not deter them from the pursuit of knowledge and experience. Washington Post

If you’re teaching, you need to realize that the world has AI now. And so students need to be prepared for a world where this is going to be integrated in industries in different ways. MIT Tech Review

Learning how to engineer prompts is likely to be a transitional skill. Soon more sophisticated programs with specialized uses will be on the market. Faculty members would be better off focusing less on prompt engineering and more on determining the problems they would like to solve. Chronicle of Higher Ed

Bruno Ribeiro, an associate professor of computer science at Purdue, gives students unique coding problems that seem simple on the surface but have slight variations that often trip AI up. He then has students identify where the program went wrong and fix the code. Chronicle of Higher Ed

Students can, for instance, analyze a conversation with ChatGPT as an assignment and identify signs of fabrication, biases, inaccuracies, or shallow reasoning. Or faculty members can have students use AI to write a first draft of an essay and show what they might change. Or instructors could include AI as a contributor to group discussions. Chronicle of Higher Ed

Some professors think we should carry on as before, assigning take-home essays but writing ever-more-artful questions that GPT-4 or some other form of AI can’t answer. I’m dubious whether that can be done. Even if it could, I’m not interested in making my questions elusive enough to outsmart a machine. At a certain point, it risks demanding too much of the students: expecting a superhuman effort on their part, just for the sake of proving their humanity. Chronicle of Higher Ed

Something has gone very wrong when the advent of a machine that can produce merely competent essays is causing intelligent and committed educators to give up on assigning substantial student papers, which, as Robin acknowledges, are central to the educational enterprise as we have long conceived it. Chronicle of Higher Ed

A survey of students in grades 6-12, released by the nonpartisan think tank Center for Democracy & Technology, found that students with special needs are more likely than their peers to use generative AI and be disciplined for doing so. Center for Democracy & Technology

Some professors think that it’s the pressure and “high stakes” of our grading and assessment regimes that produce those feelings of discomfort in our students. I think it’s intrinsic to the work, if you’re doing it right. Our goal shouldn’t be to eliminate this discomfort. We need to teach students that it’s part of the process, and develop strategies for coping with it. Chronicle of Higher Ed 

Bridging the gap, and easing fears, will lie in getting educators acquainted with AI — a training need underscored by the fact that 96 percent of the 1,000 educators said they have not received professional development on the topic. Schools have recognized these needs, although training of generative AI specifically is still nascent. EdSerge

As teachers grapple with these big questions about what AI means for their profession, they need to have access to frequent training about it. “You need to give teachers time to experiment with it, and preferably learn in small cohorts, where they can share what they’re discovering.” EdSurge

Like a dishwasher or a vacuum cleaner, ChatGPT automates drudgery so we can focus on something more important. The promise of AI is, that by freeing us from the values of mere competence, we can focus more intentionally on cultivating distinctively human values. Chronicle of Higher Ed 

9 articles about AI & Business

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11 Recent Articles about the Dangers of AI

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11 Articles about AI & Work Productivity  

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Embracing Rituals

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Rituals help people transition through what would otherwise be a tumultuous period of their lives. And they let people savor the milestone they have just reached.

Creating stability at times of chaos: Though people associate events like graduations and weddings with joy, these moments also represent chaotic, potentially frightening life transitions. A wedding brings together two people to start a new, interdependent life. Graduation marks leaving the familiar world of school for the unknown world of work and grown-up responsibilities. Funerals and birthdays are two more examples.

In all four cases, there is a before and an after, as people leave their old world and enter into a new, uncertain one — and those transitions can breed anxiety.

It's easy to think that rituals like weddings are pointless and overdone. But that big cake, sparkling white dress or bouquet toss are helping us move through life in a positive and healthy way. There's no need to apologize for embracing it.

Emily Esfahani Smith writing in Mic