Newsroom Robots

When it comes to AI adoption, experimentation is easy—scaling is hard. So, what is the difference between AI projects that fade out and those that transform newsrooms? A strong infrastructure.In this episode of Newsroom Robots, Kasper Lindskow, the head of AI at JP/Politikens Media Group joins host Nikita Roy. Kasper shares how as one of Denmark's largest media groups they are building a scalable AI infrastructure across multiple news brands, balancing technical innovation with editorial values.Key topics include:The Platform Intelligence in News (PIN) Project — their comprehensive research initiative that brought together technical universities and social science departmentsMagna — their flagship AI suite that adapts to each publication's unique voice and offers tools from basic writing assistance to complex research capabilitiesHow JP/Politikens evolved from a single-newsroom AI team to a centralized unit with "local AI hubs" at each publicationThe "Values Compass" framework that ensures AI systems align with journalistic integrityHow they customized AI tools for different publications and integrated them into daily newsroom workflowsSign up for the Newsroom Robots newsletter for episode summaries and insights from host Nikita Roy.

Imagine a newsroom where AI agents assist with reporting, actively surface leads, analyze government data, and help journalists navigate complex investigations in real time. Norway’s iTromsø is laying the groundwork for exactly that.In the second part of this episode with Rune Ytreberg, head of data journalism at iTromsø, and Lars Adrian Giske, head of AI join host Nikita Roy to share how their small but ambitious newsroom is systematically building an infrastructure for AI-powered journalism. This isn’t just about isolated tools—it’s about creating a cohesive ecosystem where AI enhances reporting at every level.Rather than simply bolting AI onto existing workflows, iTromsø is focused on building a structured data infrastructure that supports AI agents across multiple newsroom functions.Their vision includes:A centralized AI-powered data interface that allows journalists to filter, analyze, and cross-reference government records, public documents, and municipal archives.Automated news alerts that notify reporters when AI detects important patterns or anomalies in the data.A structured repository of historical data, ensuring journalists have context-rich information at their fingertips, allowing for deeper investigative work.This structured approach isn’t just about efficiency—it’s about creating a foundation where AI can play an active role in surfacing critical stories.iTromsø is designing an AI-ready newsroom—one where structured data, automated insights, and AI-assisted research come together to elevate investigative journalism.Sign up for the Newsroom Robots newsletter for episode summaries and insights from host Nikita Roy.

Translating a journalist's gut instinct into code—is it possible? In Norway, iTromsø—a long-standing regional newspaper known for its investigative journalism and deep local coverage—has found a way.Their AI system, DJINN (Data Journalism Interface for News Gathering and Notification), acts like an experienced beat reporter, scanning hundreds of municipal documents and surfacing the most newsworthy leads. The impact? In their first week using DJINN, summer interns fresh out of journalism school produced five front-page stories—on a beat that usually takes years to master.In this episode of Newsroom Robots, Rune Ytreberg and Lars Adrian Giske join host Nikita Roy to talk about iTromsø’s structured approach to AI-driven reporting and how they built tools that strengthen their local journalism.Rune leads iTromsø’s data journalism lab, where he has been developing AI-driven editorial solutions for 70 local newspapers within the Polaris Media Group since 2020. And Lars is the Head of AI at iTromsø and led the development of DJINN. Since its launch in 2023, 36 newspapers across Norway have adopted DJINN, sourcing documents from nearly half of all Norwegian municipalities.Key topics include:• How a small newsroom built AI tools to strengthen investigative journalism• Why their AI systems are designed for specific beats like urban planning and fisheries, reducing hallucinations and increasing precision.• Embedding editorial expertise in AI development• How their fisheries database flagged irregularities and how their urban planning system transformed local accountability coverage.This is just Part 1 of our deep dive into how iTromsø is using AI to power investigative reporting. In Part 2, Rune and Lars will discuss their latest project: AI-powered research assistants that will proactively surface investigative leads for their journalists.Sign up for the Newsroom Robots newsletter for episode summaries and insights from host Nikita Roy.

Neil Brown, president of The Poynter Institute and former chair of the Pulitzer Prizes, joins host Nikita Roy to discuss the Pulitzer Board's decision to require AI disclosure in prize submissions. In 2024, two Pulitzer Prize winners disclosed using AI in their work - City Bureau and Invisible Institute used machine learning to analyze police misconduct files for "Missing in Chicago," while The New York Times' visual investigations desk employed AI to identify bomb craters in Gaza. Of the 45 finalists that year, five had disclosed using AI in their submissions. In this episode, Brown discusses how the Pulitzer Board approached AI disclosure requirements and shares his perspective on technology's evolving role in journalism.Key topics include:The Pulitzer Board's approach to AI disclosure and transparencyHow newsrooms can bridge the divide between technical and editorial teamsWhy newsrooms need to take a longitudinal approach to technology adoptionThe importance of involving audiences in technological innovationLessons from journalism's digital transformation that apply to the AI eraSign up for the Newsroom Robots newsletter for episode summaries and insights from host Nikita Roy.

Upasna Gautam, Senior Platform Product Manger at CNN and Chair of the Board of Directors at the News Product Alliance, joins host Nikita Roy to discuss her framework for AI integration in newsrooms. In this episode, Gautam breaks down her three-question approach to AI implementation and shares insights from building CNN's content management platform Stellar. Through practical examples from CNN's journey and her work with newsrooms globally, Gautam offers a systematic framework for evaluating which AI opportunities are worth pursuing.Key topics include:How CNN operates like a tech company Three essential areas for AI in news: workflow orchestration, data integration, and content modularityBuilding trust with journalists by focusing on concrete benefits over technology hypeFramework for evaluating AI opportunities that works for newsrooms of any sizeTransforming editorial teams into "mini PMs" who shape technology adoptionStrategies for successful AI implementation in resource-constrained newsroomsSign up for the Newsroom Robots newsletter for episode summaries and insights from host Nikita Roy.

Agnes Stenbom, Sweden’s AI Person of the Year and Head of IN/LAB and Trust Initiatives at Schibsted Media, joins host Nikita Roy to discuss how one of the Nordic region’s largest media groups is innovating with AI to reach underrepresented audiences and build trust in journalism. Stenbom is also an industry doctoral candidate researching AI in journalism and a co-founder of Nordic AI Journalism, a network advocating for the responsible use of AI in journalism across the Nordic region.In this episode, Stenbom highlights how Schibsted is leveraging AI to tackle news avoidance, experimenting with interactive formats, and navigating the challenges of responsible AI adoption in newsrooms.Key topics include:Using generative AI to create personalized, engaging formats such as rap-style news summariesDesigning AI tools for audience interactivity, including news concierges and custom avatarsSchibsted’s FAST framework for managing AI risks in fairness, accountability, sustainability, and transparencyEthical dilemmas and risk mitigation in using generative AI for journalismInsights on fostering newsroom culture to embrace technological innovationSign up for the Newsroom Robots newsletter for episode summaries and insights from host Nikita Roy.

Ritvvij Parrikh, Senior Director of Product at Times of India, joins host Nikita Roy to discuss how AI-powered personalization is transforming news distribution and why newsrooms need to rethink their approach to revenue optimization.Parrikh, who leads product development at India's largest English-language news organization, discusses their innovative approach to news personalization that increased click-through rates by 85% on web and 40% on mobile. His team developed a proprietary recommendation system that automatically optimized content distribution for individual readers. As an industry thought leader, Parrikh has been instrumental in demonstrating how newsrooms can build AI systems that balance editorial judgment with reader preferences while maintaining journalistic integrity.Key topics include:Building newsroom-specific recommendation systems that understand news cyclesThe critical importance of real-time data infrastructure for modern newsroomsWhy newsrooms should master focus on building the operational infrastructures to power AISign up for the Newsroom Robots newsletter for episode summaries and insights from host Nikita Roy.

Martin Schori, Deputy Managing Editor and Associate Publisher at Aftonbladet, joins host Nikita Roy to discuss how Sweden’s largest newsroom built an AI hub, developing a wide range of innovative editorial tools, including a suite of AI-powered tools for the newsroom and a chatbot for the EU elections. As the Program Lead for the AI Hub, Schori shares the biggest wins, challenges, and key lessons from their experiments with AI in journalism.Key topics include:- The creation of Aftonbladet’s AI hub and its impact on editorial workflows- How Aftonbladet used AI to engage readers with an EU election chatbot- Analyzing coverage using AI to track gender and diversity representation- Ethical considerations and maintaining editorial control with AI toolsSign up for the Newsroom Robots newsletter for episode summaries and insights from host Nikita Roy.

In this special episode of Newsroom Robots, host Nikita Roy steps into the spotlight to answer your pressing questions about AI. Recorded during a session with the Online News Association (ONA), this episode covers a range of topics, from ethical considerations in AI-generated content to practical tools that can elevate your work.AI Tools Mentioned:Perplexity - A generative AI search engine that provides quick insights on any topic. Wobby - A data journalism tool that connects to open datasets, where you can ask questions in plain language and get clear AI-generated insights, reports, and visualizationsOpusClip - Converts long-form videos into short, engaging clips for social media, ideal for repurposing content.YESEO - A Slack-based AI tool for generating headline suggestions and SEO metadata, widely used in local newsrooms.Google's Pinpoint - A tool for investigative journalists using AI to search through massive amounts of documents, including handwritten ones.Natural Reader - An AI tool that reads text aloud with natural-sounding voices, perfect for those who prefer listening over reading.Whimsical AI - Creates diagrams and visualizations from your data inputs directly within ChatGPT.Elicit & Consensus - AI-powered search engines for academic research, useful for journalists covering specialized beats like health and science.Nota - A versatile tool for creating SEO content, summarizing articles, and even converting articles into videos.GPT for Sheets and Docs, Claude for Sheets - These tools bring AI directly into your Google Docs and Sheets, enabling you to draft, edit, and generate insights without leaving your document or spreadsheet.If you're interested in learning more about how AI is being implemented in newsrooms, sign up to receive a series of case studies on AI and journalism, researched and written by Nikita in collaboration with the Online News Association. Sign up for the Newsroom Robots newsletter for episode summaries and insights from host Nikita Roy.