Tuesday 21st January at 10:00 am CET
2,5 hours training session online
Free training for CIRCOM Members
Journalists from the CIRCOM network participated in an innovative training session designed to explore the growing role of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in modern journalism. The workshop, led by Guillaume Kuster from Check First OY, provided a deep dive into AI-powered tools and practical applications, showing how these technologies can enhance storytelling, streamline investigative processes, and improve research efficiency. At the same time, it emphasised the ethical considerations that must remain central to this evolution.
The training began with an introduction to how AI is reshaping journalism. Participants learned how AI tools can uncover patterns in large datasets, create powerful visual content, and even generate summaries or insights from complex documents. The session underscored the importance of balancing innovation with responsibility, a theme that carried throughout the day.
Ethics played a central role in the discussions, focusing on three core principles: trustworthiness, fairness, and transparency. Journalists were encouraged to ensure the reliability of AI-generated content by verifying it against credible sources. They were also reminded to choose tools that respect intellectual property and promote inclusivity, while being vigilant about potential biases in training data. Transparency emerged as a key takeaway, with an emphasis on disclosing the use of AI in content creation to maintain audience trust.
Participants were introduced to a variety of AI tools tailored for journalists. Research and summarisation platforms like Perplexity and Google NotebookLM, visual storytelling tools like DALL-E and MidJourney, and transcription tools like Whisper AI were among the highlights. Investigative tools, including satellite image analysis and Picarta.ai, showcased the ways AI can support in-depth reporting on complex issues. Practical exercises gave participants hands-on experience, helping them understand how to use these tools effectively and ethically in their day-to-day work.
A recurring theme throughout the session was the importance of using AI as a supplement rather than a replacement for human judgment. Journalists were encouraged to approach AI with a critical eye, maintaining editorial oversight and ensuring that outputs are accurate, unbiased, and aligned with journalistic principles.
This training underscored CIRCOM’s commitment to preparing its network of journalists for the challenges and opportunities of the AI-powered future.