Faculty in Focus: Innovating at the Intersection of AI and Journalism
J-School faculty are exploring AI's impact, weighing its benefits and risks for the industry.
Columbia AI Summit: Crossing Fields and Creating Impact
At the Columbia AI Summit on March 4, Jelani Cobb, Dean and Henry R. Luce Professor of Journalism, and Mark Hansen, David and Helen Gurley Brown Professor of Journalism and Innovation, joined thought leaders from other Columbia schools for an cross-disciplinary conversation.
Cobb and Hansen shared thoughts on the evolving role of AI in journalism, highlighting the opportunities and challenges it presents in an increasingly digital and data-driven media environment.
“In appealing to AI… we largely shift the prized form of creativity in data journalism away from the ability to turn questions into code, and instead value the ability to ask good questions in the first place,” said Hansen during his panel presentation. “That is what the J-school curriculum is all about: curiosity and asking questions.”
To learn more about the J-School's involvement in AI and journalism, explore the CJS2030 AI Initiative.
The Second Draft Alumni Lab on AI
Jonathan Soma, John S. and James L. Knight Professor of Professional Practice in Data Journalism and Director of the Data Degree Program, will demonstrate how AI is “absolutely useful for journalism." Participants will enhance their workflows with tools that scan and respond to documents.
Dhrumil Mehta, Associate Professor of Professional Practice and Deputy Director of the Tow Center for Digital Journalism, will lead a lab on using large language models in journalism. Learn how AI can transform data analysis and visualization, empowering dynamic, interactive stories.
This workshop will focus on equipping participants with the latest AI tools and techniques for storytelling. Led by Emily Bell, Director of the Tow Center for Digital Journalism, alongside Margaret Sullivan, Executive Director of the Craig Newmark Center for Journalism Ethics and Security, the session will address considerations like transparency, accuracy, bias and energy use.
Professor Mario García on Mobile Storytelling & AI
On February 24, Mario García, Senior Adviser on News Design and Adjunct Professor, led a session for students on two ongoing revolutions in media: mobile storytelling and artificial intelligence.
His session, part of a lunchtime lecture series, helped students understand how news organizations are adapting to new ways of consuming and creating content.
Mark Hansen’s Data Research Reveals Organ Transplant Issues
Mark Hansen, Brown Professor of Journalism and Director of the Brown Institute for Media Innovation, teamed up with Adjunct Professor of Investigative Journalism Brian M. Rosenthal and Graphics Editor Jeremy White for a data-driven investigation into the organ transplant system. Their work, featured in The New York Times, revealed systemic issues that raise concerns about fairness and the prioritization of resources.
The Uncanny Muse: David Hajdu on Music, Art, and AI
David Hajdu, Arts & Culture Professor, explores the intersection of music and AI in his book, The Uncanny Muse: Music, Art, and Machines from Automata to AI. Hajdu argues that machines have historically fostered creativity, a trend that continues with AI.
In a February 17 Book Talk at Pulitzer Hall, he guided the Columbia community through his research. The event was sponsored by the Society of Fellows and Heyman Center for the Humanities and featured Ahmed Elgammal, George Lewis and Alisa Solomon as panelists.