CJS2030: The Initiative on AI

Learn. Build. Critique.

Outreach to newsrooms. Public-facing tutorials. Research and experimentation. Explorations of AI’s ability to disrupt the news ecosystem, and to enhance or diminish audience trust. Training students and mid-career journalists on how to use AI ethically and responsibly. Building new tools to augment reporting and scholarship. Collaborating with other major players in AI, including departments across Columbia University.

Training

Man stands at a podium that reads "Columbia AI Summit."

Columbia Journalism School is pioneering AI's integration into journalism through hands-on learning, in-depth research and industry collaboration. 

By prioritizing ethics, transparency and trust, CJS equips journalists to responsibly navigate this new landscape. From AI-powered investigative tools to innovative storytelling, this initiative emphasizes practical education that empowers journalists to leverage technology while safeguarding integrity.

CJS fosters an environment where students and professionals collaborate on AI-driven projects to reshape how news is produced and consumed, focusing on accessibility, sustainability and reporting rigor. Moving to fulfill that vision, the School is producing thoughtful scholarship, timely journalism and practical workshops to help students and news professionals adapt to the rapidly changing technological environment.

Quote from Dean Jelani Cobb that reads "Our brief as journalists is to investigate, understand and help our audiences navigate these changes while navigating it ourselves. Journalists have an opportunity to take advantage of these tools. They can use this moment to take our industry forward."
Two students coding on a computer.

Research and Tools

2025-2026 Magic Grant Recipients.
Meet the 2025-2026 Recipients

The Brown Institute's annual “Magic Grants”: journalistic insight with technical innovation – from new tools for creators to technologies designed in the public interest. 

Glass door with "TOW CENTER FOR DIGITAL JOURNALISM" printed on it.
Toward AI-Powered Source Audits

Discover cutting-edge reporting from the Tow Center for Digital Journalism to help newsrooms analyze sourcing patterns and produce more accurate, representative reporting.

Ethics and Standards

Logo for the Craig Newmark Center for Journalism Ethics and Security.
Craig Newmark Center for Journalism Ethics and Security

The Craig Newmark Center for Journalism Ethics and Security is exploring the ethical questions that arise with the growing use of AI in newsrooms and its rapid spread throughout society. The school’s required ethics course also includes the complex issues that arise from AI.

Futuristic Blue Digital Data Tunnel
Image by Oktay Köseoğlu / Pexels
M.S. in Data Journalism

Journalism in the 21st century involves finding, collecting and analyzing data for storytelling, presentation and investigative reporting. The Master of Science in Data Journalism offers students interested in advanced skills an opportunity to tackle complex information, uncover hidden narratives and deliver impactful stories across digital platforms.

Logo for The Tow Center for Digital Journalism.
The Tow Center for Digital Journalism

Through the “Platforms and Publishers” project, the Tow Center for Digital Journalism is conducting an ongoing, multi-year study into the relationship between large-scale technology companies and journalism, trackingthe role of AI companies and their growing influence in the news industry. Tow is also the home of the School's Computer Science + Journalism Dual Masters degree program.

Meet the Faculty

Photo of Jonathan Soma
Jonathan Soma
Jonathan Soma

John S. and James L. Knight Professor of Professional Practice in Data Journalism

Director, MS in Data Journalism Program
 

Headshot of Anika Collier Navaroli, '13 M.S.
Anika Collier Navaroli

Craig Newmark Assistant Professor of Professional Practice

Director of the Craig Newmark Center for Journalism Ethics and Security

photo of Mark Hansen
Mark Hansen
Mark Hansen

David and Helen Gurley Brown Professor of Journalism and Innovation

Director, David and Helen Gurley Brown Institute for Media Innovation

photo of Emily Bell
Emily Bell
Emily Bell

Leonard Tow Professor of Professional Practice

Director, Tow Center for Digital Journalism
 
 

photo of Dhrumil Mehta
Dhrumil Mehta
Dhrumil Mehta

Associate Professor of Professional Practice

Deputy Director, Tow Center for Digital Journalism
 
 

CJS AI News