AI definitions: Moravec’s Paradox
/Moravec’s Paradox - What is hard for humans is easy for machines, and what is easy for humans is hard for machines. For instance, a robot can play chess or hold an object still for hours on end with no problem. Tying a shoelace, catching a ball, or having a conversation is another matter. This is why AI excels at complex tasks like data analysis but also struggles with simple physical interactions, and why developing robots that are effective in the real world will take time and extraordinary technological advances. This paradox is attributed to Hans Moravec, an Austrian who worked at Carnegie Mellon.
Will AI Liberate Literature?
/When photography was developed in the 19th century, it replaced painting for most utilitarian purposes; a camera could document what things looked like more accurately and cheaply than a painter could. But the art of painting didn’t die out. On the contrary, it entered a golden age: Freed from the obligation of realism, painters developed radical new ways of seeing, such as Impressionism, Cubism, and abstract expressionism. Now AI has the potential to liberate literature in the same way. In a world full of emptily competent prose, we need writers daring, challenging, and obstinate enough to tell us what it’s like to be human, “from the inside.” - Adam Kirsch writing in The Atlantic
Listen Slowly
/Some years back, I was snapping at my wife and children, choking down my food at mealtimes, and feeling irritated at those unexpected interruptions through the day. Before long, things around our house reflected the pattern of my hurry-up style.
After supper one evening, the words of one of our daughters gave me a wake-up call. She wanted to tell me something important that had happened to her at school that day. She hurriedly began, “Daddy-I-wanna-tell-yousomethin’-and-I’ll-tell-you-really-fast.”
Realizing her frustration, I answered, “Honey, you can tell me . . . and you don’t have to tell me really fast. Say it slowly.”
I’ll never forget her answer: “Then listen slowly.”
Charles Swidoll
17 Recent Articles about AI & Academic Research
/9 Best Academic Research AI Tools in 2026 - PaperGuide
Concern for study looking into whether conversations with AI could change viewpoints – Retraction Watch
Are academics making an (em) dash for AI? – Times Higher Ed
AI can help scientists publish less - Nature
Revised university grants commission guidelines in India “treat unacknowledged AI use as plagiarism in PhD work.” – Times of India
Will AI ruin the social sciences — or revolutionize them? – Nature
AI can mass-produce finance research papers indistinguishable from human work, reports study – Phys.org
AI is eating the academic publishing industry alive, but some good might come of it – Daily Maverick
Why AI can’t be trusted to write scientific reviews – Nature
To Trust or Not to Trust: Authors' Response to AI-based Reviews – ArXiv
Academia Is Enshittifying. AI Made It Faster. - Sam Illingworth
Science replaces, issues correction for a cover image after discovering it was partially AI-generated. – Science.org
Fake academic journals are publishing AI-generated papers under real professors’ names - NBC News
40 Years of Changes In Scientific Publishing: From Conflict of Interest to Generative AI – Health Affairs Scholar
How an academic’s AI use was exposed by her peers – Sydney Morning Herald
AI in peer review: the elephant in the editorial room – Nature
Fake academic journals are publishing AI-generated papers under real professors’ names – NBC News
27 Freelancing Sites
/DesignCrowd (job board for designers)
DesignHill (freelance designers)
Freelance Opportunities (email newsletter)
Freelancer (includes graphic, SEO and copywriting jobs)
Open Notebook (pitch database & other helps for science writing)
Upwork (formally Elance/Odeskl)
The First AI-Designed Vaccine
/Doctors have injected humans with the first AI-designed vaccine. It has the potential to protect us, not only against an entire family of human coronaviruses, but also against deadly virus mutations before they even occur. That’s according to University of Cambridge researchers.- Futurism
The Storyteller's Responsibility
/The storyteller's responsibility is not to be wise. A storyteller is the person who creates an atmosphere in which wisdom can reveal itself. -Barry Lopez
25 Webinars this week about AI, Journalism & the Media
/Mon, June 15 – Covering the Climate
What: This webinar seeks to equip media professionals with practical legal awareness and connecting them with resources that safeguard their right to report.
When: 6 am, Eastern
Where: Facebook Live
Cost: Free
Sponsor: Global Neighbourhood For Media Innovation
Mon, June 15 - How to Create a Social Media Plan
What: Learn how to build a social media plan that aligns with your agency’s CX goals. We’ll walk through practical steps to help you reach the right audiences, deliver meaningful content, and measure success.
Who: Ellen Kamilakis Assistant District Administrator, Communications, Virginia Department of Transportation.
When: 4 pm, Eastern
Where: Zoom
Cost: Free
Sponsor: govloop
Tue, June 16 - Ask Me Anything: 2026-2027 AI Accountability Network Fellowships
What: We will discuss the current call for proposals for the AI Accountability Fellowships from the Pulitzer Center as well as to answer questions about the Fellowship experience.
Who: Joanna S. Kao, Pulitzer Center Staff; Maria Karienova; Pulitzer Center Staff; Si Err Yap AI Fellow.
When: 9 am, Eastern
Where: Zoom
Cost: Free
Sponsor: Pulitzer Center
Tue, June 16 - Reporting on public health in the current political environment
What: We will explore how journalists can gain audience trust and navigate misinformation and controversial statements from officials while producing accessible, fact-based journalism.
Who: KFF Health News journalists Julie Rovner and Amanda Seitz.
When: 11 am, Eastern
Where: Zoom
Cost: Free
Sponsor: National Press Club
Tue, June 16 - Future-Proof Your Journalism Career by Mapping Your Career River
What: You'll learn: The strategies that helped a laid-off Philadelphia Inquirer editor turn around her grueling job hunt; How to visualize the progress you've made and skills you've developed over the course of your career to better adapt to shifts; Proven tools to help you assess where you want to go next and design your action plan to get there.
Who: Career River creator Bridget Thoreson.
When: 12 pm, Eastern
Where: Zoom
Cost: Free
Sponsor: Career River
Tue, June 16 - Media Is More Than Just TV: The Beginner’s Guide to Author Visibility
What: We will take you behind the scenes and explain what media actually is, how you can use the media, email, podcasts, television and more to create realistic visibility. Plus how to build the kind of platform publishers want to see, even before you have a book deal.
Who: TV Producer Paula Rizzo.
When: 12 pm, Eastern
Where: Zoom
Cost: Free
Sponsor: Writer’s Digest University
Tue, June 16 - Human Resilience in the Age of AI
What: In a new report from Elon's Imagining the Digital Future Center, experts call for radical change across institutions and social structures. The vast majority of expert respondents called for leaders to work together now to build a coordinated resilience infrastructure for the age of artificial intelligence to counterbalance the human and systemic challenges posed by widespread AI adoption.
Who: Lee Rainie, Director, Imagining the Digital Future Center, Elon University.
When: 2 pm, Eastern
Where: Zoom
Cost: Free
Sponsor: USC
Tue, June 16 - Using AI Tools To Promote Meaningful Learning
What: We will consider the impact AI tools are having or stand to have on teaching and learning in your various fields of study; articulate your vision for AI’s role in your teaching; and explore ways you might integrate AI into meaningful learning activities. We’ll review some best practices and some suggestions for using AI as part of your learning environment that have resulted from the larger pedagogical conversation thus far.
When: 2 pm, Eastern
Where: Zoom
Cost: Free
Sponsor: The University of Chicago
Tue, June 16 - How content creators are earning audience attention and trust
Who: Mollie Muchna, Trusting News.
When: 4 pm, Eastern
Where: Zoom
Cost: Free
Sponsor: Center for Scholastic Journalism at Kent State University & and Trusting News
Tue, June 16 - AI in Journal Publishing and Manuscript Writing
What: This webinar will explore the role of AI in manuscript development, including its benefits, limitations, and ethical considerations such as authorship and transparency. Through a moderated discussion, participants will gain insight into how AI is shaping the manuscript and publishing process. At the end of the webinar, there will be a Q&A session.
Who: Rhea Liang, General and Breast Surgeon MD Curriculum Lead, Bond University Gold Coast, Australia; Thomas K. Varghese Jr., Editor-in-Chief, Journal of the American College of Surgeons (JACS) Salt Lake City, Utah; Julian Smith, Editor-in-Chief, ANZ Journal of Surgery Melbourne, Victoria, Australia.
When: 6:30 pm, Eastern
Where: Zoom
Cost: Free
Sponsor: American College of Surgeons
Wed, June 17 - Creating Workspace Agents for Higher Ed Faculty and Researchers
What: Learn how faculty, researchers, and university teams can create Workspace Agents that help with recurring academic and operational workflows. This session will show where agents are most valuable: when a task depends on trusted institutional knowledge, follows a repeatable process, or requires the same kind of judgment across many requests.
Who: Lucas Salzman Customer Education Programs, Edu, OpenAi; Keelan Schule, Education Solutions Engineer, OpenAI.
When: 11 am, Eastern
Where: Zoom
Cost: Free
Sponsor: OpenAI Academy
Wed, June 17 - Your Library Inside AI Chat Platforms
What: Find out how libraries can responsibly plug themselves into the AI chat environments their users are already in – and the strategic choices that come with doing so. We’ll explore practical approaches available today, from browser-level tools that follow users across AI platforms, to institutional connectors that integrate library systems directly into AI environments, drawing on early experience from academic library partners.
Who: Allen Jones, Senior Director of Digital Libraries & Technical Services, The New School Libraries & Archives; Annette Coates Readshaw, Head of Library Collection and Digital Services, Northumbria University; Christine Stohn Senior Director, Product Manager, Clarivate; Miri Botzer, Vice President, Product Innovation, Clarivate.
When: 12 pm, Eastern
Where: Zoom
Cost: Free
Sponsor: Clarivate
Wed, June 17 - AI Impact Hour for Nonprofits
What: This is a practical, interactive conversation designed for executive directors, staff, board members, and volunteers who want to understand what AI can realistically do in a nonprofit setting. You’ll see simple demonstrations and real examples, and you'll have a chance to share your experiences, challenges, and insights with the group.
Who: Aretha Simons, Webinar Producer, Nonprofit & AI Consultant.
When: 1 pm, Eastern
Where: Zoom
Cost: Free
Sponsor: TechSoup
Wed, June 17 - Disability Narrative Workshop 3: Story Structure + Intersectionality
What: This workshop examines how story structure can distort disability coverage when reporting falls into legitimacy-trial framing, burden logic, or agency failures. Using tools from Fix the Frame, participants will learn how to spot and correct these patterns while building stories that more accurately reflect lived experience and structural barriers. The session also treats intersectionality as a core reporting practice, showing how race, class, gender, geography, and disability shape what gets covered, how it gets framed, and what is often missed.
Who: Russell Midori, the board chair of Military Veterans in Journalism and a board member of both the Disabled Journalists Association and the Overseas Press Club Foundation.
When: 1 pm, Eastern
Where: Zoom
Cost: Free
Sponsor: Military Veterans in Journalism
Wed, June 17 - How to run your business with Claude Code as your 2nd-brain-OS
What: How the speaker audited his process to define where AI make sense and where not, what is scheduled and what is sem-automated and why.
Who: Sabahudin Murtic, Sabahudin
When: 1:30 pm, Eastern
Where: Zoom
Cost: Free
Sponsor: luma
Wed, June 17 - Artful Intelligence: What the Rise of AI Can Teach Us about Great Writing
What: This webinar will allay your fears over AI taking over the world—or at least taking over the writing world—and putting all of us creative writers out of business. No prior technical knowledge is required—only a passion for reading, exploring how technology shapes storytelling, and uncovering how human stories shape technology.
Who: Professor & Chair of English & Creative Writing at University of Miami.
When: 3 pm, Eastern
Where: Zoom
Cost: $30
Sponsor: WritingCraft.com
Wed, June 17 - Journalism & AI - Promise or Threat?
What: The upsides and the downsides of artificial intelligence for journalists and journalism. Learn about the acronyms, the platforms, the handful of ways journalists have used AI in the newsroom, and the many cases where journalists have investigated AI systems to uncover harms. Bring your questions about AI!
Who: New York University Professor Meredith Broussard
When: 7 pm, Eastern
Where: Zoom
Cost: Free
Sponsor: Journalism & Women Symposium
Thu, June 18 - Rethinking Business Education in the Age of AI
What: The session will reveal how AI is reshaping classrooms, faculty roles, student expectations, and the future value proposition of management education. This keynote offers an insider’s perspective on what it means to lead a business school through one of the most significant educational disruptions in decades.
Who: Louis-David Benyayer, Associate Professor at ESCP Business School (Paris campus) and the AI Initiatives Coordinator for the school.
When: 4 am, Eastern
Where: RingCentral
Cost: Free
Sponsor: Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business
Thu, June 18 - Combating Hate Speech in the Digital Age
What: This webinar explores the evolving challenges posed by digital platforms, artificial intelligence and generative technologies in amplifying harmful narratives and social polarization.
When: 7:30 am, Eastern
Where: Zoom
Cost: Free
Sponsor: UNESCO
Thu, June 18 - From the Panama Papers to the Epstein Files: Investigating Leaks and Large-Scale Data in the Age of AI
What: Join leading experts in investigative journalism to share hands-on strategies for securely managing leaks and navigating this rapidly evolving landscape. Experts will walk through the full life cycle of an investigation built on large data, from initial assessment and secure data management to corroboration, collaboration, and what to do with the data after publication.
Who: Pierre Romera Zhang, chief technology officer at the International Consortium of Investigative Journalists; Alesya Marokhovska, editor-in-chief of iStories; Bastian Obermayer, co-founder of Paper Trail Media; Romina Mella, managing editor and investigative journalist at IDL-Reporteros in Peru.
When: 9 am, Eastern
Where: Zoom
Cost: Free
Sponsor: Global Investigative Journalism Network
Thu, June 18 - Introduction to Reporting on AI
What: This online training is designed for reporters interested in getting started on reporting on artificial intelligence, even with minimal or no knowledge of AI. We will dissect what makes a good AI accountability story, from quick turnaround stories to more ambitious investigations.
Who: Khari Johnson, Grantee; Sushmita AI Fellow.
When: 11 am, Eastern
Where: Zoom
Cost: Free
Sponsor: Pulitzer Center
Thu, June 18 - Stop overpaying for Digital Advertising Services
What: We will explain how hidden markups and outdated fulfillment and reporting models can quietly reduce profit margins, limit pricing flexibility and make it harder for local sales teams to compete for business.
Who: Zack Watson of Rambunctious Rhino.
When: 12 pm, Eastern
Where: Zoom
Cost: Free
Sponsor: Editor & Publisher
Thu, June 18 - What Video Learners Really Want: Key Findings on Video Effectiveness
What: We'll break down key findings on video effectiveness, exploring how elements like pacing, visuals, and audio impact learner engagement. You'll gain actionable insights to create better learning videos—whether they stand alone or support broader instructional strategies. Through interactive discussions, real-world examples, and practical takeaways, you'll leave with a clear framework for making informed, research-backed decisions about video in your learning programs.
Who: Matt Pierce Camtasia, Learning and Video Ambassador.
When: 3 pm, Eastern
Where: Zoom
Cost: Free
Sponsor: Camtasia
Thu, June 18 - How to Reach Hard-to-Find Audiences: Lessons from Healthcare Marketing
What: We will share how they identified and activated one of the hardest audiences to reach. Learn how stronger audience intelligence can improve targeting precision, activation, and campaign performance.
Who: Rob Sederman, CEO, AMBIT; Mike Julian, Definitive Healthcare
When: 7 pm, Eastern
Where: Zoom
Cost: Free
Sponsor: Definitive Healthcare
Fri, June 19 - The Growth of You: Nurturing Your Personal Brand
What: How to define your unique value, showcase your strengths, and create a brand that stands out in today's competitive communications landscape.
Who: Lauren Debick, Brand Strategist at Creative Springs; President of Quotes, the AD/PR Club at UCF. Lauren Cordero.
When: 12 pm, Eastern
Where: Zoom
Cost: Free
Sponsor: Florida Public Relations Association
The smallest things
/Sometimes the smallest things take up the most room in your heart. -Winnie The Pooh
AI definitions: The ELIZA effect
/The ELIZA effect - When humans mistake unthinking chat from machines for that of a human. We think we are seeing understanding and intention when in reality a chatbot is just matching patterns and reflecting our statements back to us in different ways.
12 Articles about AI’s future
/Here’s How Long It Will Take for AI to Reach Its Potential – Wall Street Journal
We Asked the Future of Truth Author to Explain How He Used AI. It Didn’t Go Well – Wired
What the 1920s Can Teach Us About Surviving the AI Revolution - Wall Street Journal
AI godfather Yann LeCun's blunt advice for the AI age - Axios
AI optimism surges in Asia, unlike in the U.S. – Rest of World
Can AI Help Predict the Earth’s Climate a Decade from Now? – The Brink
Bracing for the A.I. Economy to Come – New York Times
America isn’t ready for what AI will do to jobs – The Atlantic
Coding After Coders: The End of Computer Programming as We Know It – New York Times
The Chatbots Appear to Be Organizing Moltbook is the chaotic future of the internet. – The Atlantic
The Future We Feared Is Already Here – New York Times
A definition for a successful life
/Any definition of a successful life must include service to others. -George HW Bush (born June 12, 1924)
Next Steps for Communicators
/Communicators should start to think about the different AI systems as their own separate channels or audiences, just like you might think about pitching various outlets or types of media differently. Stay focused on doing what we do best: telling stories and finding the right outlet to deliver them to the audiences that matter most. -Muckrack
The Adventure Risk
/Andre Gide once said, "One does not discover new lands without consenting to lose sight of the shore for a very long time." Explorers of new worlds will always have times of ambiguity where they wonder if they are getting anywhere and whether the voyage was really worth it.
21 Freelancing Articles
/6 ways to find fresh story ideas — and where to sell them - Health Journalism
7 tools and tips for getting — and staying — organized as a freelancer - Health Journalism
14 Ways To Get Paid To Write As A Side Hustle - The College Invester
Chelsea’s Guide To Freelancing - Chelsea Cirruzzo, a reporter with U.S. News & World Report
Freelancing with ADHD: How to embrace your strengths and manage the challenges - Health Journalism
Here's what a bunch of publications pay freelancers - Freelancing with Tim
How AI is transforming freelance journalism - Harvards Nieman Lab
How to ask for more money — and actually get it - Freelancing with Tim
How to become a Freelance Writer (A Guide) - MSN
How to price your work as a freelancer - WePresent
How to Succeed as a Freelance Investigative Journalist - GIJIN
I've been a successful freelancer for 10 years. I still feel like I should always be chasing my next opportunity. - Business Insider
A Journalist’s guide to freelancing - Julie Patel blog
Learning how to thrive as a freelance journalist - Response Source
New market guides for pitching to Good Housekeeping, Big Think and New York Post - Health Journalism
A Quick guide to finding your freelance niche - Freelancers Union
Should freelance journalists get an LLC? - Health Journalism
This writer wants to prevent freelancers from floundering on story pitches - Poynter
Tips for pitching the New York Times, Wired and Consumer Reports - Health Journalism
What Freelancers Need to Know About Income, Deductions, and Taxes - Bloomberg
Why your timing matters when pitching to journalists - PA Media
No amount of AI
/No amount of AI can save us from building the wrong thing. When building becomes easier, it becomes much easier to create things that are technically impressive but strategically irrelevant: More dashboards, more workflows, more internal tools, more apps that work but do not deserve to exist. That is why engineering judgment is becoming more valuable. - Toward Data Science
14 Articles about how AI is Impacting Jobs
/Is A.I. Replacing Tech Workers or Providing an Excuse for Job Cuts? – New York Times
AI Has Ruined the Job Market - The Atlantic
AI Hiring Tools Can Yield Racial Bias and Systemic Rejection - Stanford
5 ideas for how we survive the possible AI jobs apocalypse – Washington Post
AI Job Grief: The Unnamed Psychological Crisis Hitting Tech Workers – Jack Maguire
One Job That Is Growing in the A.I. Era? Cybersecurity Experts. – New York Times
The First Class of AI Natives Is Graduating. Offices Are Getting Ready. – Wall Street Journal
Philosophy Majors’ Job Prospects and the Spread of AI Technology – Daily Nous
Entry-level jobs calling for AI skills nearly doubled from a year ago, says report – CNBC
Employers are demanding AI skills. What's the best way to learn them? – CBS News
Congress Is Doing Little to Prepare for Potential A.I. Job Losses – New York Times
How AI is reshaping workflows and redefining jobs – MIT
College students are changing course in search of ‘AI-proof’ majors. But no one knows what they are – Associated Press
These Companies Say AI Is Reviving Entry-Level Jobs, Not Killing Them - Wall Street Journal
Don’t Think of an Elephant!
/In 1973, America watched as then President Richard Nixon vehemently declared on national television, “I am not a crook” in regards to the Watergate scandal.
Not many people believed him.
In fact, as soon as he uttered the word “crook,” most people immediately envisioned a crook.
The major mistake Nixon made was in his framing. By saying the word “crook,” he evoked an image, experience, or knowledge associated with crook in the minds of everyone watching.
George Lakoff, a professor in cognitive science and linguistics at University of California, Berkeley, makes the point in his book Don’t Think of an Elephant! that when trying to get your point across, refrain from using the other side’s language. Doing so will activate and strengthen their frames and undermine your own views. Instead, successfully arguing a point requires you to establish your own frames and use language that evokes images and ideas that fit the worldview you want.
Think about it this way: Something that has a “95% effective rate” will sell better than something with a “5% failure rate.” It’s all in how you frame it.
Vivian Giange, writing in Fast Company
Practicing Pitches to AI Avatars
/Harvard Business School is using chat and video avatars of its professors in an online boot camp, called Foundry, that it launched in April. Students can pull the A.I. versions of H.B.S. professors into a group text chat to help advise them on their start-up ideas. They can also practice their pitch to customers or venture capitalists with A.I. video avatars that look like the professors. The avatars ask follow-up questions and dispense advice based on both their own expertise and a body of Harvard Business School research and frameworks. - New York Times