And so, just like that, our 16-week Spring semester is over and students are presenting their final projects for my Columbia University course, Multimedia Design & Storytelling, a graduate class that emphasizes mobile storytelling and artificial intelligence as the two current revolutions impacting newsrooms everywhere.
Specifically, the final project required that students work in groups of two to identify an area of Artificial Intelligence that sparked their interest, then proceed to report on it, create case studies, interview experts and reach shareable conclusions that could shed a light as to what directions AI is taking for content creators.
Their stories had to be presented in a mobile friendly, linear format, with text and visuals combined to enhance storytelling.
There were five stories presented, dealing with the following topics:
- Semafor: How one news site is using AI to rethink news products.
- For the first time , the Pulitzer Prize Committee is considering entries that used AI.
- How local newsrooms are using Artificial Intelligence and mitigating the risks.
- Lost in Translation: How AI becomes a major player for language translation, plus what kind of Spanish is the bot speaking?
- Visualizing the news: AI is taking power but concerns about visual bias remain.
Here are the projects:
Semafor: How one news site is using AI to rethink news products.
An interview with Gina Chua, executive editor, Semafor, and how her newsroom has taken a proactive approach to AI. At the center of Chua’s work is a product called Semafor Signals.
Authors: Jacob Imber & Lachlan Hyatt, Columbia University, School of Journalism, Class of 2024
For the first time , the Pulitzer Prize Committee is considering entries that used AI.
Not just the Pulitzer Prize, but how are all other creative contests dealing with the potential inclusion of Artificial Intelligence on work submitted for evaluation?
Authors: Emily Injeian & Olivia Schmidt
How local newsrooms are using Artificial Intelligence and mitigating the risks.
Small newsrooms are implementing AI tools into their workflow. As they navigate the ethical dilemmas associated with this new technology, some are developing definitive ground rules.
Authors: Catherine McGrath & Holly Lehren
Lost in Translation: How AI becomes a major player for language translation, plus what kind of Spanish is the bot speaking?
One of AI’s most useful tools is that of language translation. In this paper, the students analyze the trend, but also warn that a direct translation could miss some regional/cultural nuances of the language that only a human can help with.
Authors: Sheila Veliz & Ariadna Sandoval
Visualizing the news: AI is taking power but concerns about visual bias remain.
While AI can be a most interesting and valuable tool to create visual images to accompany stories, there is also evidence that often bias about imagery sets in.
Authors: Eva Qi & Ingrid Yu
My takeaways
After projects were presented in class we had a discussion about the role that AI is likely to play in the students’ about-to-be-launched careers (enormous), and I offered my takeaways from the five projects presented:
-AI is a major player and will remain so, growing stronger all the time.
-AI is like a crane to help us content creators with the heavy lifting, but not substituting the core work that only humans can perform, such as connecting the disconnected.
-Humans lead on the AI dance floor.
-Embrace AI, learn more about it each day, engage with it.
If interested in this material
If you are interested in publishing these articles, please contact me directly at mario@garciamedia.com and I will connect you with the student authors.
Our workshop deals with the two big revolutions facing editors
For me, it is imperative that editors approach content creation thinking in terms of mobile first.
Mobile first involves the type of transformation where all content is prepared thinking from small to large platform. Thinking small platform does not mean that the reporter conceptualizing a story for mobile consumption should not think BIG. So, plan from small to large, but think big in terms of the story content and the visual assets that go with it.
While mobile first is still elusive to so many newsrooms around the planet, here we are, in 2024, faced with an even bigger challenge not just knocking at our doors, but already IN: Artificial Intelligence.
Transformation and a change of mentality to face these challenges is the first step. Training and education to tackle them with a sense of focus and direction is essential.
That’s where our Garcia Media workshops come in
Our Garcia Media Mobile Storytelling workshops introduce your editorial team to the way we write, edit and design for mobile platforms. This one-day program includes a presentation and a hands-on workshop. We’ve added a new segment about AI for content creation.
For details, to customize, and to book: mario@garciamedia.com
Order my new book AI: The Next Revolution for Content Creation:
Join me on the road:
Appearances and conference
https://linktr.ee/themarioblog (https://linktr.ee/themarioblog)
Mario’s AI speaking engagements coming up
Here you see where I will be discussing AI at various events. Feel free to send me an email (mario@garciamedia.com) if you have questions about any of these events. You can always go directly to the organization’s website for additional information.
Hoping to see you along the way!
Artificial Creative Intelligence blogs of interest:
The following blog posts all deal with Artificial Intelligence and creativity:
Media predictions for 2024
Every year, Harvard University’s Nieman Lab publishes what selected media people predict for journalism in the following years. You can find my own prediction here;
https://www.niemanlab.org/2023/12/ai-takes-center-stage/
Start writing or type / to choose a block
How we use AI
Honored to be mentioned here:
https://www.newsroomrobots.com/p/how-10-news-industry-leaders-use
Order my new AI book here:
https://thaneandprose.com/…/preorder-ai-what-to-expect…
Here is a chance to pre-order my new book about Artificial Intelligence and content creation. The first 25 copies sold will be signed! Order here:
https://thaneandprose.com/…/preorder-ai-what-to-expect…
Reviews for AI book:
Newsrooms around the planet have gone mobile-first after a Garcia Media workshop!
Our Garcia Media Mobile Storytelling workshops are proven to introduce your editorial team to the way we write, edit and design for mobile platforms. It is a one-day program that involves a presentation (where I summarize my Columbia University class content), and follow it with a hands on workshop.
Did you read The Story yet?
I urge you to consult my latest book, The Story, a trilogy full of tips and explanations about mobile storytelling, which represents the latest genre for journalists to explore. See information below:
The full trilogy of The Story now available–3 books to guide you through a mobile first strategy. Whether you’re a reporter, editor, designer, publisher, corporate communicator, The Story is for you! https://amazon
Volume 1: Transformation
https://books.apple.com/us/book/the-story-volume-i/id1480169411
Volume Two: Storytelling
https://books.apple.com/us/book/the-story-volume-ii/id1484581220
Volume Three: Design
https://books.apple.com/us/book/the-story-volume-iii/id1497049918
Order the print edition of The Story, from Amazon, here:
TheMarioBlog post #3392