The World Association of News Publishers (WAN-IFRA) is joining forces with OpenAI to launch a global accelerator program, the Newsroom AI Catalyst.

The initiative aims to assist over 100 news publishers in integrating AI into their newsrooms, with the goal of improving efficiency and content quality.

The Newsroom AI Catalyst is designed to fast-track AI adoption and implementation to enhance content creation and improvement, deepen analysis of information and data, enhance user experience on news websites, and discover new formats for delivering information. The program will also address challenges such as potential growth, the spread of misinformation, and issues around privacy, copyright, and bias.

The initiative will support 128 newsrooms across Europe, Asia Pacific, Latin America, and South Asia. It combines expert guidance with hands-on experience, equipping newsroom stakeholders with the knowledge and tools needed to drive strategic AI initiatives.

OpenAI, the AI research and deployment company behind ChatGPT, is providing funding and technical assistance to the initiative. The program will run for three months per team and includes learning modules, hands-on workshops, a mini hackathon, and a showcase. Participants will leave the program with a clear idea and plans on how to roll out AI in their newsroom. More details about the program, the curriculum, the timeline, eligibility, and the application process will be available shortly.

"News enterprises across the globe have come under pressure from declining advertising and print subscription revenues. The adversity confronting news leaves communities without access to a shared basis of facts and shared values, and puts democracy itself at risk. AI technologies have the potential to positively influence the sustainability of news organisations," said Vincent Peyregne, CEO of WAN-IFRA.

"I am delighted by the support of OpenAI to help the newsrooms through adoption of AI technologies to provide high-quality journalism that is the corner stone of news business," Peyregne added.

Tom Rubin, Chief of Intellectual Property and Content at OpenAI, stated, "At OpenAI, we are committed to harnessing the transformative power of AI to expand opportunities broadly. This program is designed to turbocharge the capabilities of 128 newsrooms across Europe, Asia and Latin America in collaboration with WAN-IFRA.

"We are excited to collaborate with WAN-IFRA and news publishers around the world to cultivate a healthy, sustainable ecosystem that promotes quality journalism."