The Trivial & the Bureaucratic

/

The Bikeshed Effect (focusing on the trivial to the neglect of the important) is a spiral toward the insignificant.

The time and energy waster grows from a lack of working from priorities. If you don’t continuously cut off its oxygen, you adopt to the surrounding culture that fuels spotlighting the details.   

The Bikeshed Effect is related to Parkinson’s Law, which suggests a project will take as long as is given to finish it. The further out the deadline, the longer it will take to complete a task. Thus, bureaucracy expands to use up whatever resources are devoted to it.

To get at what’s underneath Parkinson’s Law and the Bikeshed Effect, why we focus on the trivial and put off deadlines, we must ask ourselves, “What are we afraid of?” Sabina Nawaz wrote in the Harvard Business Review:

When we’re scared, we might spin up a frantic list of activities to avoid confronting our fear. The more afraid we are, the more we retreat from what spooks us by believing we’re too busy to tackle it.

To escape the ranks of the fearful and dead bureaucrats, take a serious look at the angst underneath and disempower it.

Making us Average

/

A.I. is a technology of averages: large language models are trained to spot patterns across vast tracts of data; the answers they produce tend toward consensus, both in the quality of the writing, which is often riddled with clichés and banalities, and in the caliber of the ideas. Other, older technologies have aided and perhaps enfeebled writers, of course—one could say the same about, say, SparkNotes or a computer keyboard. But with A.I. we’re so thoroughly able to outsource our thinking that it makes us more average, too. - Kyle Chayka writing in the New Yorker

AI Definitions: AI model collapse

/

AI model collapse - The idea that AI can eat itself by running out of fresh data, so that it begins to train on it’s on product or the product of another AI. This would magnify errors and bias and make rare data more likely to be lost, leading to an erosion of diversity—not only ethnic diversity but linguistic diversity as the AI model’s vocabulary shrinks and its grammatical structure becomes less varied. In effect, the model becomes poisoned with its own projection of reality. AI-generated data is often a poor substitute for the real thing. Example

More AI definitions here

18 Articles about AI & the Creative Arts

/

Amid the A.I. Deluge, What Counts as Art? Ask the Curators. - New York Times

Indonesia’s film industry embraces AI to make Hollywood-style movies for cheap – Rest of World  

Let's talk about AI art. – The Oatmeal

I’m a Screenwriter. Is It All Right if I Use A.I.? – New York Times

DC Comics won’t support generative AI: ‘not now, not ever’ – The Verge  

Inside the work of an AI content creator as online video gets unreal – Washington Post 

Publishers with AI licensing deals have seven times the clickthrough rate – Press Gazette

Is this the end of Adobe as we know it? Unless Adobe listens to users it could be – Amateur Photographer  

When A.I. Came for Hollywood - New York Times

I didn’t believe the hype about Google Mixboard — now I’m obsessed - Tom’s Guide

In an era of AI slop and mid TV, is it time for cultural snobbery to make a comeback? – The Guardian

Creator of AI Actress Tilly Norwood Responds to Backlash: “She Is Not a Replacement for a Human Being” – Hollywood Reporter

A short video from the UK’s Particle6 featuring AI ‘Actor’ Tilly Norwood (and is completely AI generated) - Particle6 TV

The Psychology Of Trust In AI: A Guide To Measuring And Designing For User Confidence – Smashing Magazine

Record labels claim AI generator Suno illegally ripped their songs from YouTube – The Verge

Artists are losing work, wages, and hope as bosses and clients embrace AI – Blood in the Machine

How AI is disrupting the photography business – Axios

Writing alt text with AI - Jared Cunha

24 Webinars this week about AI, Journalism & Media

/

 Mon, Oct 20 - How to Start Your Own Podcast

Who: Edward Fitzpatrick The Boston Globe; Megan Hall Megan Hall is an award-winning audio journalist and health policy expert and Rhode Is.and Public Radio’s health care reporter,

When: 12 pm, Eastern

Where: Zoom

Cost: Free

Sponsor: New England First Amendment Coalition

More Info

 

Mon, Oct 20 - How Language Shapes Brands, Business, and Public Perception

What: Research-based insights on how language influences branding, communication, and stakeholder perception. You’ll learn:  How to spot fake online content by analyzing its language; The right level of assertiveness in advertising messages; How subtle word choices like “we” vs. “you” can influence stakeholders’ perceptions of your business.

Who: Ann Kronrod, Professor of Marketing at University of Massachusetts, Lowell.

When: 12 pm, Eastern

Where: Zoom

Cost: Free

Sponsor: Institute for Public Relations

More Info

 

Mon, Oct 20 - Getting Started with AI in Teams: 3 Things Every Nonprofit Needs to Know

What: This session is designed for those who want clarity, confidence, and practical AI tools they can bring back to their teams. Together, we will cover three essentials every nonprofit should know: Foundations, what AI can (and cannot) do for nonprofits right now; Ethics, how to use AI responsibly, avoiding risks to trust and equity; and Practical Prompts, simple, hands-on examples with ChatGPT that can save your team time and support your mission-driven work.   

Who: Meena Das, CEO at NamasteData.

When: 12 pm, Eastern

Where: Zoom

Cost: Free

Sponsor: Nonprofit Learning Lab

More Info

 

Mon, Oct 20 - Selling in the Age of AI: Why People Still Win 

What: This interactive webinar will provide easy-to-understand insights on:  Where AI can add real value in consultative sales enablement and where it falls short; How emotion and memory shapes decision-making and lasting customer impact; Practical strategies for blending technology with human coaching, communication and trust-building. What sales leaders and learning and development (L&D) professionals can do today to create a human-centric, future-ready sales culture.

Who: Integrity Solutions VP Client Development Amanda Ervin, and chief product officer Amara Hun

When: 1 pm, Eastern

Where: Zoom

Cost: Free

Sponsor: Integrity Solutions  

More Info

 

Mon, Oct 20 - The Art and Craft of Narrative Storytelling

What: We will explore long-form feature writing, including: Narrative arcs and finding story structure; The importance of characters Angles: how to zig when others are zagging.

Who: Kristal Zook, Hofstra University journalism professor.

When: 6 pm, Eastern

Where: Zoom

Cost: Free

Sponsor: Press Club of Long Island

More Info

 

Tue, Oct 21 – Prompt Engineering for Journalists

Who: MD Ashraful Goni, Adjunct Faculty Stony Brook University

When: 11 am, Eastern

Where: Zoom

Cost: Free

Sponsor: State University of Bangladesh

More Info

 

Tue, Oct 21 - How I Got Here: Finding your path in public media

What: Join us for candid conversations with public media professionals who've taken diverse paths to reach where they are today.  Each session pairs voices from different career stages to share real stories about challenges, breakthroughs, and the power of networking, mentorship, and self-advocacy in career growth.

Who: Sydney Roach Training Manager, Report for America; Tanner O'Neal Riley, Honors Journalism student, University of Missouri, 

When: 1 pm, Eastern

Where: Zoom

Cost: Free

Sponsor: Public Media Journalists Association

More Info

 

Tue, Oct 21 - Avoiding the “Bad Training, Faster” Trap in the Age of AI

What: This interactive webinar will provide easy-to-understand insights on: How to effectively guide AI tools instead of letting them guide you; Practical ways to use AI for the heavy lifting while you focus on empathy, creativity and connection; Why faster content alone doesn’t equal better learning — and how to avoid the “bad training, faster” trap; Simple strategies to orchestrate AI as your crew, so learning resonates and drives real change

Who: Mike Taylor, learning designer, speaker and author of “Think Like a Marketer, Learn Like an L&D Pro.”

When: 1 pm, Eastern

Where: Zoom

Cost: Free

Sponsor: Camtasia

More Info

 

Tue, Oct 21 - What editors want to see in pitches

What: Tips about what editors do and do not want to see in freelance pitches.   Aimed at both experienced and inexperienced freelancers, you will learn exactly what you should be including in your pitches and how you can sharpen them up.

Who: Donna Ferguson, a multiple award-winning freelance journalist who is on the committee of Women in Journalism.

When: 2 pm, Eastern

Where: Zoom

Cost: £7.50 for member, £20.00 for non-members.

Sponsor: Women in Journalism

More Info

 

Tue, Oct 21 & Wed, Oct 22 - Social Media Boot Camp

What: This two-day webinar series combines our Social Media 101, 102 topics, and includes more resources for you to elevate your social media presence. Attendees will receive a Social Media Boot Camp Workbook and get additional Q&A time with our experts each day.

Who: Kiersten Hill, Director of Nonprofit Solutions at Firespring.

When: 2pm, Eastern

Where: Zoom

Cost: Free

Sponsor: Firespring

More Info

 

Tue, Oct 21 - Reporting Without Borders: The Role of Journalism Today

What: We will explore the critical role of independent journalism in an era of misinformation, political polarization, and rapid technological change.

Who: Geeta Anand, Editor-in-Chief of VTDigger, a Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist.

When: 5 pm, Eastern

Where: Zoom

Cost: Free

Sponsor: The John Sloan Dickey Center for International Understanding at Dartmouth

More Info

 

Tue, Oct 21 - Whose Story Counts?

What: Join us for a powerful edition of Journey of a Story, The Uproot Project’s storytelling series that brings environmental journalism to life. This virtual conversation will explore the intersection of climate politics, media trust, and the work of environmental journalists of color, focusing on how stories are shaped, challenged, and reclaimed.  We will hear from frontline journalists, policy watchers, and community-centered storytellers who are navigating political pressure, misinformation, and the urgent need for honest climate storytelling.

Who: Tory Stephens, Climate Fiction Creative & Brand Partnerships Manager, Grist; Tik Root, Senior Staff Writer, Grist; Luis Alexis Rodriguez Cruz, Writer, Science Communicator, and Researcher; Roxanne Scott Freelance Reporter.

When: 6 pm, Eastern

Where: Zoom

Cost: Free

Sponsor: Society of Environmental Journalists

More Info

 

Wed, Oct 22 – Freedom of Information (FOI) in Europe

What: This webinar will explore the importance of Freedom of Information/Access to Information (FOI/ATI) for journalists in Europe. In theory, most European countries have laws in place that ensure journalists and citizens can access government information. However, in practice, journalists frequently see their requests for information ignored, delayed, or rejected. Participants will get an overview of the critical role that FOI plays for journalism.

Who: Tamás Bodoky, Átlátszó, Director and Co-founder; Galyna Petrnko, Detector Media, Director and Editor-in-Chief; Michaela Pia Camilleri; Daphne Caruana Galizia Foundation, Researcher and Advocacy Officer; Cara Räker, Monitoring Officer, European Centre for Press and Media Freedom.

When: 9 am, Eastern

Where: Zoom

Cost: Free

Sponsor: Media Freedom Rapid Response

More Info

 

Wed, Oct 22 – Alternative Social Platforms – Growing Your Page

What: Join us as we break down the strategies that help small businesses grow on alternative platforms like TikTok, X, Snapchat, etc. Rather than trying to fit into the over-saturated platforms like Facebook and Instagram - let's dive into some new ones.

When: 12 pm, Eastern

Where: Zoom

Cost: Free

Sponsor: Small Business Development Center, Widener University

More Info

 

Wed, Oct 22 – LinkedIn for Learning and Development: Build Your Network and Leverage AI

What: Discover how to grow your professional network, position yourself as a thought leader in your community, and use AI-powered tools to enhance engagement and career growth.

Who: Joe Apfelbaum CEO, evyAI.

When: 12 pm, Eastern

Where: Zoom

Cost: Free

Sponsor: Training Magazine Network

More Info

 

Wed, Oct 22 - Disinformation in the Influencer Age

What: Join a dynamic discussion that explores how influencers  and organizations can work together to combat misinformation in the age of AI. Featuring insights from a unique collaboration between Page Center scholars and practitioners from NATO, this session will highlight two studies on influencer relations and generative misinformation. Learn best practices, discover actionable strategies and see how collaboration can drive change.

Who: Gary Sheffer, Page Center Board Member; Staci Smith, University of Mississippi; Brian Smith, University of Mississippi; Beaudine Verhoek, NATO.

When: 12 pm, Eastern

Where: Zoom

Cost: Free

Sponsor: Arthur W. Page Center

More Info

 

Wed, Oct 22 - Legal Challenges to Student Reporting

What: A check-in on the legal challenges that college reporting programs are facing today, the rights we can exercise, and strategies for protecting our student reporters.

Who: Meg Little Reilly, CCN Managing Director; Gary Green, Student Press Law Center Executive Director; Mike Hiestand, Student Press Law Center Senior Legal Counsel; Josh Moore, Student Press Law Center Assistant Director; Jonathan Gaston-Falk, Student Press Law Center Staff Attorney.

When: 1 pm, Eastern

Where: Zoom

Cost: Free

Sponsors: Student Press Law Center & the University of Vermont Center for Community News

More Info

 

Thu, Oct 23 - AI in the Library: Balancing Use and Institutional Adoption of Digital Tools

What: AI tools in the academic space continue to evolve and adapt to new use cases. While faculty are slowly turning to AI to assist with course creation and grading, they often cast a wary eye on students using it for coursework. Yet, student use of AI continues to grow.  This confusing landscape presents an opportunity for libraries to lead campus-wide AI literacy, helping students use new technologies effectively, ethically and in a way that faculty can embrace. Join us as we explore how libraries are guiding students’ use of AI and building faculty comfort with these new technologies.

Who: Rachael Clark Collections Strategy & Assessment Librarian, Wayne State University; Stephen Kemsley Senior Manager of User Experience Design, Clarivate; Marc Cormier, Director of Product Management, Clarivate.

When: 11 am, Eastern

Where: Zoom

Cost: Free

Sponsor: Clarivate

More Info

 

Thu, Oct 23 - Building an AI Assistant with MyGPT (Intermediate Level)

What: In this session, you will explore how to create a custom AI assistant. We will introduce you to MyGPT Builder, and we'll guide you through the fundamentals of crafting effective system prompts and supplying your assistant with a relevant knowledge base. You’ll explore real-world examples, gain practical tips for successful development, and discuss use cases across various academic, administrative, and research contexts.

When: 12 pm, Eastern

Where: Zoom

Cost: Free

Sponsor: Duke University

More Info

 

Thu, Oct 23 - Students Speak Up About AI in Their Learning Lives

What: This briefing will provide an inside look at the key research findings collected from more than 60,000 K–12 students, educators, administrators, and families through the 2024–25 Speak Up survey and national report. The goal of this year’s panel is to ensure that policymakers, education leaders, and practitioners hear directly from students about the opportunities and challenges of integrating AI into teaching and learning.

Who: Julie Evans is the Chief Executive Officer of Project Tomorrow; Robin Lake is Director of the Center on Reinventing Public Education.

When: 12 pm, Eastern

Where: Zoom

Cost: Free

Sponsor: edWEb.net

More Info

 

Thu, Oct 23 - Using Fiction Elements to Enrich Your Non-Fiction Writing

What: We show you how elements of fiction—dialogue, description, and characterization—can give your non-fiction writing power, sparkle, and the ability to stick with your reader. Writers will learn:  Where and when to use dialogue; How much description is too much?; Creating and using case-study characters; The power of storytelling in non-fiction.

Who: Bestselling fiction author Allie Pleiter.

When: 1:30 pm, Eastern

Where: Zoom

Cost: Free

Sponsor: Author Learning Center

More Info

 

Thu, Oct 23 - How to verify data and avoid AI pitfalls

What: Discover how to validate your data projects and prevent AI “hallucinations” along with other risks tied to this fast-evolving technology.

Who: Sandeep Junnarkar, Data Journalism Director at the Craig Newmark Graduate School of Journalism at CUNY.

When: 2 pm, Eastern

Where: Zoom

Cost: Free

Sponsor: New England Newspaper & Press Association

More Info

 

Thu, Oct 23 - Five Powerful Ways to Use Notebook LM

What: Notebook LM is one of the most overlooked tools that can dramatically simplify your content creation workflow in ministry. Whether you're preparing sermons, writing devotionals, training leaders, or creating digital resources, this workshop will show you exactly how to use this tool with purpose.

Who: Kenny Jahng, AI for Church Leaders founder.        

When: 2:30 pm, Eastern

Where: Zoom

Cost: $27

Sponsor: AI for Church Leaders

More Info

 

Fri, Oct 24 - Student Webinar - Bloom in the Room: Preparing for an Interview

What: Insider tips, real-world insights and actionable strategies to help you walk into any interview with confidence and clarity.

Who: Kristen Smith, Director of Public Relations, Universal Orlando Resort.

When: 12:00 pm, Eastern

Where: Zoom

Cost: Free

Sponsor: Florida Public Relations Association

More Info

AI Definitions: AGI

/

AGI (Artificial General Intelligence) – A machine that has the capacity to understand or learn any intellectual task that a human being can. Rather than focusing on solving specific problems (like Deep Blue, which was good at chess), this type of AI has broader uses and may possess seemingly human-level intelligence to learn and adapt. Scientists have had difficulty defining human intelligence and disagree as to what would count as AGI. Regardless of where they draw the line, most experts say AGI is at least decades away. Scientists have no hard evidence that today’s technologies are capable of performing even some of the simpler things the brain can do, like recognizing irony or feeling empathy. Beyond AGI lies the more speculative goal of "sentient AI," where the programs become aware of their existence with feelings and desires.

More AI definitions here

Mottos Learned in Childhood

/

(not necessarily verbalized)
 
a. Measure up (you’re climbing a ladder to get to ahead and when you get there it’s already been moved 3 rungs up)
b. Don’t let your guard down. People won’t like you.
c. You can’t trust a man until he’s 6 feet under
d. Sex is dirty. So save it for the one you love.
e. Good Christians don’t show negative emotions
 
You must let go of false messages from your childhood and carry your OWN cross. Not someone else’s.
 
What mottos have you had to battle and what effect have they had on your life? 

David Seamonds

24 Articles about AI & Politics

/

New AI battle: White House vs. Anthropic - Axis

The AI dilemma: To compete with China, the U.S. needs Chinese talent – Rest of World  

China now leads the U.S. in this key part of the AI race – Washington Post 

Just How Bad Would an AI Bubble Be? – The Atlantic

Public figures used to be off-limits in AI-generated video. A new Tow Center analysis shows how platforms are normalizing the practice. – Columbia Journalism Review  

Morgan Stanley warns the AI boom may be running out of steam - Quartz 

America is now one big bet on AI – The Financial Times

There Are Two Economies: A.I. and Everything Else – New York Times

AI is reshaping childhood in China – Rest of World

Google is blocking AI searches for Trump and dementia – The Verge

A.I. Is Driving a Stock Market Rally in China, Too - New York Times

Police are drowning in data. Could a chatbot help? – Washington Post

One Law Sets South Korea’s AI Policy—and One Weak Link Could Break It – ITIF

Chasing AGI could backfire for US, experts say – Semafor   

How the Trump administration is using AI to ramp up immigration enforcement - CNN

China's DeepSeek AI publishes peer-reviewed study finding its AI model R1 did not rely on rival models like ChatGPT for training – Yahoo News

Uncommon bonds: Cracking down on AI chatbots – Semafor  

Inside Democrats' emerging AI playbook – Axios  

Meta created its own super PAC to politically kneecap its AI rivals – The Verge

Albania appoints AI bot as minister to tackle corruption – Yahoo News  

Regulators Are Digging Into A.I. Chatbots and Child Safety - New York Times

A short-term profit grab risks eroding America’s biggest advantage in the AI race. - Washington Post

Silicon Valley Launches Pro-AI PACs to Defend Industry in Midterm Elections – Wall Street Journal  

Do AI Companies Actually Care About America? – The Atlantic

27 Articles about AI & Ethics

/

 AI video app tops the download charts —horrifying many families of dead celebrities – Washington Post

I’m a Screenwriter. Is It All Right if I Use A.I.? – New York Times 

When I played doctor with the chatbot, the simulated patient confessed problems that are real—and that should worry all of us – New Yorker

CHATGPT resurrected my dead father – The Atlantic  

A stunning scientific accomplishment: Computers can now design new viruses that can then be created in the lab - Washington Post

Hype and harm: Why we must ask harder questions about AI and its alignment with human values - Brookings 

AI safety tool sparks student backlash after flagging art as porn, deleting emails - Washington Post

Turning “human in the loop” from a catchphrase into a design practice– Medium 

People, not corporations, should set the rules that govern A.I. - New York Times

AI-generated medical data can sidestep usual ethics review, universities say – Nature

AI for Scientific Integrity: Detecting Ethical Breaches, Errors, and Misconduct in Manuscripts – Frontiers in AI  

Chatbot Cheating in Ethics Class – Christianity Today 

Politico’s recent AI experiments shouldn’t be subject to newsroom editorial standards, its editors testify – Nieman Lab  

Does AI owe you for your small part in creating it? - Axios

Explainability in the age of large language models for healthcare – Nature

Responsible by Design – Why AI Must Be Human-First – Unite AI

Can You Choose an A.I. Model That Harms the Planet Less? - New York Times

ChatGPT isn’t great for the planet. Here’s how to use AI responsibly. - Washington Post

LLM-as-a-judge easily fooled by a single token, study finds – BD TechTalks

Ethical uses of generative AI in the practice of law – Reuters

Ethical Obligations to Inform Patients About Use of AI Tools – Stanford

The Ethical Problems With AI Sermons – Patheos

Can fake faces make AI training more ethical? – Science News

 Education report calling for ethical AI use contains over 15 fake sources – ArsTechnica

Bringing AI to medicine requires philosophers, cognitive scientists, and ethicists – Stat News

Ethicists flirt with AI to review human research – Science.org

AI Supports Dishonesty in Humans, Making It Easier for Users to Cheat With an Accomplice – Discover

Is AI Is Making the College Experience Lonelier?

/

Even for those students committed to doing their own work, AI poses a threat that is quieter and harder to measure: that they will go off to college and find the experience of learning far more solitary, far lonelier, than ever before. That is the threat that AI increasingly poses to higher education today: not that it will steal our words, but that it will steal our ability to think and work together. - Chronicle of Higher Ed

Wanting Black Coffee in a World of Expanding Options

/

Even though cartoons and skits over the last decade have made fun of exotic coffee drinks by suggesting it’s hard to just get a regular coffee these days, this has never happened. No one is being turned away from Starbucks for asking to buy a black coffee. So why is this scenario repeated as if regular coffee drinkers are being excluded? Jason Pargin explains:

This exaggeration is of a world that doesn’t exist. No one took his black coffee from him. All that happened is that the range of options for other people were expanded. He perceived that as persecution as if his choice was taken away. Most people are not satisfied to simply have the option to live the life the way they want. They also want to feel normal. They want to walk around and see that most other people have made the same choice that they have made. If they see that, over time, their preference has become less popular, and even worse, is seen as being base or unsophisticated, they will perceive the mere existence of those other options as a criticism of them, even if they’ve never heard anyone voice that criticism. There is basic psychological comfort in knowing that you are conforming to what the world wants and in the reassurance that that world is not going to change.

It’s not about the coffee. It’s the fear that if everybody else stops drinking coffee the way I drink it then I will become an outcast. That is scary to someone who is suddenly remembering how they have always treated outcasts.  

21 Articles about AI & Science

/

 Fraud, AI slop and huge profits: is science publishing broken? (a podcast) – The Guardian

AI-generated ‘participants’ can lead social science experiments astray, study finds – Science

Fake microscopy images generated by AI are indistinguishable from the real thing. – Chemistry World

Top A.I. Researchers Leave OpenAI, Google and Meta for New Start-Up to accelerate discoveries in physics, chemistry and other fields.- New York Times

Far more authors use AI to write science papers than admit it, publisher reports – Science  

A stunning scientific accomplishment: Computers can now design new viruses that can then be created in the lab – Washington Post

The Machines Finding Life That Humans Can’t See – The Atlantic 

AI models are using material from retracted scientific papers – MIT Tech Review

Chatbots and large language models are being used to fact-check scientific work, but how effective are they? – Q Space  

AI-generated scientific hypotheses lag human ones when put to the test - Science

AI for Scientific Integrity: Detecting Ethical Breaches, Errors, and Misconduct in Manuscripts - Frontiers 

AI reveals unexpected new physics in dusty plasma - PhysOrg 

AI will soon be able to audit all published research – what will that mean for public trust in science? – The Conversation

AI, peer review and the human activity of science – Nature

AI can’t learn from what researchers don’t share – Research Professional News 

Researchers claim their AI ‘thinks’ like a human — after training on 160 psychology studies - Nature 

Large language models to accelerate organic chemistry synthesis  - Nature

AlphaGenome is an AI-powered platform aiming to predict how genetic code variants lead to different diseases – Stat News

AI, bounties and culture change, how scientists are taking on errors - Nature

Make all research data available for AI learning, scientists urge – Research Professional News  

The rising danger of AI-generated images in nanomaterials science and what we can do about it - Nature

Generative AI Doesn't Know How to Write Suspense

/

Suspense, in some form, is what keeps people watching anything longer than a TikTok clip, and it’s where A.I. flounders. A writer, uniquely, can juggle the big picture and the small one, shift between the 30,000-foot view and the three-foot view, build an emotional arc across multiple acts, plant premonitory details that pay off only much later and track what the audience knows against what the characters know. A recent study found that large language models simply couldn’t tell how suspenseful readers would find a piece of writing. -New York Times

Staying Power

/

Faith supplies staying power. It contains dynamic to keep one going when the going is hard. Anybody can keep going when the going is good, but some extra ingredient is needed to enable you to keep fighting when it seems that everything is against you.

You may counter, "But you don’t know my circumstances. I am in a different situation than anybody else and I am as far down as a human being can get.

In that case you are fortunate, for if you are as far down as you can get there is no further down you can go. There is only one direction you can take from this position, and that is up. So your situation is quite encouraging. However, I caution you not to take the attitude that you are in a situation in which nobody has ever been before. There is no such situation. 

Practically speaking, there are only a few human stories and they have all been enacted previously. This is a fact that you must never forget – there are people who have overcome every conceivable difficult situation, even the one in which you now find yourself and which to you seems utterly hopeless. So did it seem to some others, but they found an out, a way up, a path over, a pass through.

Norman Vincent Peale, The Power of Positive Thinking

20 Webinars this week about AI, Journalism & Media

/

Mon, Oct 13 – Embracing AI: What Every Communicator Must Know

What: This session will focus on moving from AI experimentation to widespread adoption — with data, insights & practical advice.

Who: Mark Dollins, North Star Communications Consulting; Adam Pratt, IBM; Amanda Carl-Pratt, Google DeepMind; PRSA Chair Ray Day, APR.

When: 1 pm, Eastern

Where: Zoom

Cost: Free for members

Sponsor: Public Relations Society of America

More Info

 

Mon, Oct 13 - How Media Ownership Matters

What: We will explore issues related to media ownership as professor Benson introduces his new book, "How Media Ownership Matters. " The book offers a fresh and insightful look into understanding news media ownership, moving beyond the usual focus on market concentration or media moguls. It explores how different types of ownership affect news production, guided by the sociological idea of "institutional logics."

Who: Rodney Benson, Professor in the Department of Media, Culture, and Communication and Affiliated Faculty in the Department of Sociology, at New York University. He was lead author of the Oxford published “How Media Ownership Matters.” Anya Schiffrin is a senior lecturer at Columbia University’s School of International and Public Affairs and co-director of the Technology Policy & Innovation Concentration.

When: 5 pm, Eastern

Where: Zoom

Cost: Free

Sponsor: Centre for Economic Policy Research, Sciences Po Laboratory for Interdisciplinary Evaluation of Public Policies, & the Research and Policy Network.

More Info

 

Tue, Oct 14 - YouTube – Growing Your Page

What: Join us as we break down the strategies that help small businesses grow on YouTube and how to access certain things within the platform.

Who: Zachary Piotti, Marketing Consultant & Process Innovation, Widener SBDC.

When: 12 pm, Eastern

Where: Zoom

Cost: Free

Sponsor: Widener University Small Business Development Center

More Info

 

Tue, Oct 14 - ChatGPT for Government 101

What: We’ll cover the impact of ChatGPT, common government use cases, and the core features you can start using right away—reading, translation, voice, vision, personalization, and prompting. You’ll leave with practical strategies to integrate ChatGPT into your work, whether drafting policies, reviewing reports, or supporting program delivery.

When: 1 pm, Eastern

Where: Zoom

Cost: Free

Sponsor: Open AI Academy

More Info

 

Tue, Oct 14 - Building Authentic Relationships in an AI-Driven World

What: Drawing from Common Sense’s latest research on the risks of AI companions and emerging findings about boys’ online interactions, this edWebinar provides educators with practical tools and frameworks to support healthy relationship building and social skills. Teachers will learn evidence-based approaches to help students recognize parasocial vs. genuine relationships, develop curiosity for others, and build resilience against potentially harmful AI chatbots.

Who: Sue Thotz, Former Educator, Current Director of Outreach, Common Sense Education; Tali Horowitz, Former Educator, Current East Coast Education Director, Common Sense Media; Jamie Nuñez, Former Educator, Current Senior Manager of Outreach and Training, Common Sense Education.

When: 1 pm, Eastern

Where: Zoom

Cost: Free

Sponsor: Common Sense Education

More Info

 

Tue, Oct 14 - What is GEO for SEO and how do I create content for it?

What: Geo-targeted content is one of the most effective ways for publishers to drive local search traffic. In this session, we will break down what GEO for SEO means, why it matters for publishers and advertisers, and how to create content that performs. Attendees will leave with clear strategies and examples to help their teams produce stories that rank higher, attract the right audience, and generate revenue.

Who: David Arkin, founder of David Arkin Consulting.

When: 2 pm, Eastern

Where: Zoom

Cost: Free

Sponsor: Local Media Association

More Info

 

Tue, Oct 14 - AI Innovator Collaborative

What: A regular gathering for ONA members already using AI in journalism to connect and share ideas.

When: 3 pm, Eastern

Where: Zoom

Cost: Free for members

Sponsor: Online News Association

More Info

 

Tue, Oct 14 - How Journalists Can Use Scraping Tools for Environmental Stories

What: This webinar will introduce scraping as a critical tool in the environmental reporter’s digital toolbox. You'll learn: The basics of web scraping and ethical/legal considerations; How to collect large datasets from public websites; Real-world case studies: deforestation data, pollution records, permit databases; Tools and platforms to get started, with no coding experience required. Whether you're investigating government transparency or corporate greenwashing, scraping can supercharge your environmental reporting with data others overlook.

When: 4 pm, Eastern

Where: Zoom

Cost: Free

Sponsor: Pulitzer Center

More Info

 

Wed, Oct 15 - AI in Action: Transforming Editorial and Commercial Workflows

What: Discover how AI is reshaping the day-to-day operations at Reuters. This session highlights practical examples of how AI can drive efficiency and creativity, helping teams analyze newsletter data, forecast performance, and enhance content — all while supporting editorial and business goals. 

Who: Elaine Piniat is Senior Manager, Newsletter and Podcast Revenue Strategy, with Thomson Reuters; Rossalyn Warren is Audience Editor, with Thomson Reuters.

When: 11 am, Eastern

Where: Zoom

Cost: Free

Sponsor: Online News Association

More Info

 

Wed, Oct 15 - AI Tools for Entrepreneurs: Mastering the Latest Updates in ChatGPT, Claude & Gemini

What: This practical one-hour workshop is designed for small business owners who want to stay ahead of the curve. We’ll walk through the latest updates in today’s most popular AI platforms, show you how to use them to streamline tasks, and explore advanced techniques that boost productivity and creativity. No technical background required—just curiosity and an interest in learning what’s new.

When: 12 pm, Eastern

Where: Zoom

Cost: Free

Sponsor: Widener University Small Business Development Center

More Info

 

Wed, Oct 15 - 10 AI Prompts Every Salesperson Needs to Know!

What: Learn how to use AI to close more deals, save time, and sell smarter with. Whether you’re a seasoned sales pro or new to media sales, this session will give you practical tools to boost your productivity, sharpen your messaging, and increase your revenue.

Who: Ryan Dohrn, the Billion Dollar Sales Coach.

When: 2 pm, Eastern

Where: Zoom

Cost: Free

Sponsor: The Digital Media Manager, The Magazine Manager and The Newspaper Manager

More Info

 

Thu, Oct 16 - Pitch Perfect: AI & the Future of PR

What: Join our 30-minute virtual panel with PR leaders and a journalist as they share how to: Craft personalised pitches that cut through Use automation for smarter workflows and stronger results Balance AI with creativity and human connection.

Who: Cheryl Douglas Notified; Katie Eborall Grayling; Jane Hamilton The Sun & The Times.

When: 7:30 pm, Eastern

Where: Zoom

Cost: Free

Sponsor: Notified

More Info

 

Thu, Oct 16 - The Power of Journalism

What: Gain a deeper understanding of critical issues and discover ways to influence local change alongside your community. Develop powerful communication, initiative-taking thinking, and critical analysis skills through storytelling, photography, and videography. Learn from experienced professionals and get noticed by decision-makers in the environmental sector.

Who: Investigative journalist Shauna Corr (RTE/BBC/Irish Independent/Irish Mirror) and resident journalist at UCD Earth Institute; Phoebe Cooke — investigative climate journalist and co-deputy editor at DeSmog —an international journalism organisation focusing on climate change topics and combatting misinformation; Brigitte Wear — DeSmog researcher with a focus on the aquaculture industry.

When: 8 am, Eastern

Where: Zoom

Cost: Free

Sponsor: Young Reporters for the Environment - Ireland

More Info

 

Thu, Oct 16 - Grant Writing in the Al

What: The trainer has surveyed national grant professionals in 2024 and 2025 on the use of, concerns for, and ethical considerations of the role of AI in the field. What has changed over these two years? In this session, we will review the findings of those surveys and discuss the ongoing benefits and challenges of using AI to secure resources.

When: 12 pm, Eastern

Where: Zoom

Cost: Free for members, $49 for non-members 

Sponsor: Grant Professionals Association

More Info

 

Thu, Oct 16 - Public Relations 101: The Who, What, When, Why & How

What: Whether you're launching a new product, building your reputation, or establishing thought leadership in the esports industry, understanding PR fundamentals is essential. Join ESTA and JSA+Partners for a comprehensive two-part series designed specifically for esports professionals.

Who: Jennisfer Acree, Founder & CEO of JSA+Partners; Casey Barisoff, Director of PR, JSA+Partners; Nick Moran, JSA+Partners.

When: 1 pm, Eastern

Where: Zoom

Cost: Free

Sponsor: Esports Trade Association

More Info

 

Thu, Oct 16 - Prompt writing and AI-powered data analysis

What: Learn to create effective AI prompts that allow you to “interrogate” the data, asking questions that yield information and insight key to your story.

Who: Sandeep Junnarkar, Data Journalism Director at the Craig Newmark Graduate School of Journalism at CUNY.

When: 2 pm, Eastern

Where: Zoom

Cost: Free

Sponsor: New England Newspaper & Press Association

More Info

 

Thu, Oct 16 - AI in Advertising Sales: A Case Study

What: Attendees will explore real-world case studies on:  Pre-discovery research – using AI to quickly uncover brand insights and client priorities; Persona profiling – building detailed audience profiles in minutes instead of days; Content creation – brainstorming ads, headlines, and copy with AI collaboration; Note-taking & meeting support – freeing sales reps to focus on client conversations while AI captures the details; Ethical considerations – staying transparent, human-centered, and privacy-conscious when using AI.

Who: Kevin Berrier is an accomplished advertising and marketing innovator with more than two decades of experience helping businesses connect with audiences in powerful ways. As Advertising Director at MDDC Advertising Services, he leads omni-channel campaigns that blend the best of traditional media with cutting-edge digital strategies. 

When: 2 pm, Eastern

Where: Zoom

Cost: $35

Sponsor: Online Media Campus

More Info

 

Fri, Oct 17 - Be Heard: Pitching Your Op-Ed

What: Find a home for your opinion pieces with this panel of editors who are eager to hear what you have to say. Learn insider tips for crafting your pitch and strategies for making it stand out in a crowded inbox.

Who: Corinna Wu, senior editor for opinion & features, Undark; Jhodie Williams, Bloomberg opinion editor; Louie Villalobos, deputy opinion editor for USA Today. 

When: 12 pm, Eastern

Where: Zoom

Cost: Free

Sponsor: Institute for Independent Journalists

More Info

 

Fri, Oct 17 - Building AI Readiness: Skills for Learners and Learning Leaders

What: We will discuss two critical dimensions of AI’s role in upskilling: the evolving skill sets employees need to collaborate effectively with AI technologies and explore how L&D teams can harness AI to personalize, scale and accelerate upskilling initiatives. Whether you’re preparing your workforce for AI or using AI to prepare your workforce, this session will offer actionable insights to guide your strategy.

Who: Tom Whelan, Ph.D., director of corporate research at Training Industry, Inc.

When: 1 pm, Eastern

Where: Zoom

Cost: Free

Sponsor: Udemy

More Info