Microsoft has announced its collaboration with media platform Semafor and various news organizations to facilitate journalists in harnessing generative AI for content production.
The tech giant, through these partnerships, aims to assist organizations in establishing and refining procedures and policies for the responsible use of artificial intelligence (AI) in both newsgathering and business practices. This initiative was unveiled in a blog post released by Microsoft.
Semafor will be partnering with Microsoft to leverage AI tools that aid journalists in research, source discovery, translation, and more through the innovative Semafor Signals. This collaboration aims to equip journalists with an array of credible local, national, and global sources, enhancing the quality and diversity of news content.
The Craig Newmark Graduate School of Journalism at CUNY will play a pivotal role by hosting a tuition-free program for experienced journalists. This three-month hybrid and interactive initiative will explore the integration of generative AI into journalistic work and newsrooms. The AI Journalism Lab, spearheaded by Nikita Roy, a data scientist and host of the podcast Newsroom Robots, will lead the way in exploring AI applications in journalism.
The Online News Association (ONA) is also making strides in the AI realm. ONA’s AI in Journalism Initiative is set to provide a range of opportunities for journalists and newsroom leaders, facilitating collaborative exploration and experimentation with AI tools. The initiative seeks to unlock possibilities across newsrooms, fostering audience reach, and ensuring long-term business sustainability.
The GroundTruth Project, renowned for dispatching local journalists globally through programs like Report for America and Report for the World, is incorporating an AI track into its initiatives. Through the AI in Local News initiative, the aim is to enhance the efficiency and sustainability of reporting and newsrooms.
Nota, a startup supported by Microsoft, has expanded its footprint to over 100 newsrooms. Nota’s AI tools assist newsrooms in reaching new audiences, bolstering social media presence, and tailoring content to meet audience information needs. The forthcoming PROOF tool promises real-time tips for journalists and editors, offering insights into content improvement through readability, SEO analysis, link integrity, and more.
Although financial details of the deal remain undisclosed, this collaboration is especially noteworthy given the ongoing lawsuit faced by Microsoft and OpenAI, creators of ChatGPT, filed by the New York Times. The lawsuit alleges unauthorized use of the Times’ published content to train AI technologies.
Both OpenAI and Microsoft have defended their position, asserting that employing copyrighted works for training AI products falls under the legal doctrine of “fair use,” which governs the unlicensed use of copyrighted material.
