8 Webinars This Week about AI, Journalism & Media
/Mon, Feb 3 - AI ChatBot Ethics
What: We examine how children and teens engage with AI tools, from companionship to questionable information sources. Drawing on the BBC TechLife podcast “Dating a Chatbot” and recent high-profile stories, we’ll discuss media literacy strategies to identify risks, navigate misinformation, and foster responsible AI use. Don’t miss this timely conversation on the opportunities and challenges chatbots bring to families today.
Who: Wesley Fryer, an educational technology early adopter / innovator who teaches middle school STEM and media literacy.
When: 12 pm, Eastern
Where: Zoom
Cost: Free
Sponsor: Media Education Lab
Wed, Feb 5 - The Playbook for GenAI in the News Media Business
What: How best to harness this GenAI technology, common mistakes made, and insights from working on GenAI solutions worldwide. Our guests will present guidelines for those just getting started with GenAI, those with some experience, and those who are now advanced users, ensuring that this session is valuable for news brands at different stages of technological maturity.
Who: Justin Kosslyn, an AI consultant who was previously Director of News Ecosystem products at Google and has also been head of digital products at TED conferences; Lukas Görög, an AI consultant who works extensively on GenAI implementation across industries and draws on his experience as AI and data strategy lead at NZZ, data strategist at Die Presse, and AI consultant for The Thomson Foundation.
When: 10 am, Eastern
Where: Zoom
Cost: Free to members
Sponsor: International News Media Association
Wed, Feb 5 - Mini-Lab: AI Tools for Video Creation
What: We’ll experiment with prompts in Sora to build lengthy videos that will have some journalistic value. We’ll start building a prompt library for Sora videos and tweak/test them as we build videos. We’ll cover how to post them properly online (YouTube) and disclose the AI use to readers when posting. Participants will be given a handout with links to all the tools and exercises on how to use them. Prior to the session, have an account set up at Sora and have access to a YouTube account if we want to post the videos there afterward.
Who: Mike Reilley Senior Lecturer, University of Illinois-Chicago.
When: 11 am, Eastern
Where: Zoom
Cost: Free
Sponsor: Online News Association
Wed, Feb 5 - Demystifying AI Agents
What: Real-world examples of how generative and agentic AI can help you work smarter, streamlining workflows, enhancing proactive threat detection, and automating key tasks.
Who: David Irwin, Director of Product Management - AI, Swimlane; Katie Bykowski, Sr. Director of Product Marketing, Swimlane.
When: 1 pm, Eastern
Where: Zoom
Cost: Free
Sponsor: Swimlane
Thu, Feb 6 - Journalism and Technology Trends and Predictions 2025
What: We unpack the findings for 2025 of the Study of Journalism, the Journalism and Technology Trends and Predictions report—including the transformative role of generative AI in newsrooms, the rise of 'creator-fication' of news and more.
Who: Tom Platt, Global Head of Newsgathering & Video at Reuters; Nic Newman, Senior Research Associate Reuters Institute for the Study of Journalism
When: 10 am, Eastern
Where: Zoom
Cost: Free
Sponsor: Reuters
Thu, Feb 6 - Creating Action-FIrst Learning Through AI-Generated Avatars
What: Explore how AI-driven avatars can transform traditional training by simulating real-world conversations, decision-making challenges, and interactive scenarios, Plus learn how to create your own AI avatar using several different AI software tools in a matter of mere minutes. If you have ever wanted to create your own digital twin, this webinar will teach you how to quickly create a digital copy of yourself for use in training, delivering messages, or even just to have a little fun.
Who: Karl Kapp, Director, Institute for Interactive Technologies, Bloomsburg University.
When: 12 pm, Eastern
Where: Zoom
Cost: Free
Sponsor: OpenSesame
Thu, Feb 6 - SEO Basics 2.0: Strategies and Tools to Write Winning Headlines
What: Agentic AI vs. generative AI - what’s the difference? The do’s and don’ts for using AI in your SOC. Tips for getting (and quantifying) the business value of AI. Meet Hero, Swimlane’s private AI companion for SecOps.
Who: Jessie Willms & Shelby Blackley cofounders of SEO for journalists.
When: 2 pm, Eastern
Where: Zoom
Cost: Free
Sponsor: Indiegraf
Fri, Feb 7 - Trust and The Government: What journalists need to know to guide political coverage
What: This briefing that will prepare journalists to cover politics with their audience in mind, while noting their unique role in how the public perceives — and trusts — their federal government.
Who: Max Stier, founding president and CEO, Partnership for Public Service; Elliot C. Williams, training coordinator for the National Press Club Journalism Institute.
When: 12 pm, Eastern
Where: Zoom
Cost: Free
Sponsor: National Press Club