Microsoft and OpenAI are offering $10 million in grants to help select media outlets integrate AI tools into their journalism operations.
The initiative will support five initial recipients—Chicago Public Media, the Minnesota Star Tribune, Newsday, The Philadelphia Inquirer, and The Seattle Times—by providing each with funding to hire an AI fellow for two years. These fellows will work on developing and implementing AI technologies aimed at improving the news outlets’ business sustainability and newsroom efficiency.
The use of AI will focus on areas such as analysis, engagement, research, and monetization, with Microsoft Azure and OpenAI tools forming the backbone of these efforts. Three additional media outlets will be selected for the second round of funding.
Microsoft and OpenAI are contributing $2.5 million each in direct financial support and an additional $2.5 million each in software and enterprise credits, which will be used by the news organizations to explore how AI can benefit journalism. These tools are expected to help in tasks like transcription, summarizing content, and creating a “conversational” search tool for archives. The partnership also includes the Lenfest Institute for Journalism, which seeks to bolster local media through innovation.
This funding announcement comes as both Microsoft and OpenAI face ongoing legal challenges from media outlets over copyright concerns. Lawsuits have been filed by The New York Times, The Intercept, Raw Story, AlterNet, and The Center for Investigative Reporting, accusing the companies of scraping web content without proper licensing. The lawsuits continue despite some negotiated licensing deals, such as those with Condé Nast and Vox Media. Publications have claimed that AI models like ChatGPT have used their content without compensation, leading to accusations of plagiarism and unauthorized content use.
In addition to the grants, OpenAI has made another significant move by appointing Aaron Chatterji, a professor from Duke University’s Fuqua School of Business, as its first chief economist. Chatterji previously served on President Barack Obama’s Council of Economic Advisers and worked in President Joe Biden’s Commerce Department.
OpenAI’s Chief of Intellectual Property and Content, Tom Rubin, noted that while AI tools will never replace the role of reporters, they believe the technology can enhance the research, investigation, distribution, and monetization of journalism.
Featured Image courtesy of LIONEL BONAVENTURE/AFP via Getty Images
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