Participants must commit to coming to New York for a two-day, in-person kickoff on January 22-23, 2027 (AI J Lab: Leaders) or February 8-9, 2027 (AI J Lab: Creators).

They are expected to participate in 2-hour online sessions mostly on Wednesdays (AI J Lab: Leaders) or Thursdays (AI J Lab: Creators) from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. ET, and to reserve additional time for independent research and experiments, coaching sessions and peer circles. Participants are also expected to work on their individual projects throughout the program to present to the cohort during their last classes.

We have found that the best way to learn new techniques and explore skills is to apply them immediately to a real-life challenge. In that spirit, participants will be asked to identify a generative topic of interest, related to journalism, to work on throughout the program, with the help of peers and coaches. Examples include plans to deploy AI in their newsrooms, strategies and protocols around the use of AI in journalism, product ideas using AI and more.

Participants will briefly present their work to the class at the end of the program.

If you are a leader, manager, executive or strategist working on the editorial, tech, product or business side of your media organization, a mid-career journalist or news technologist in a management position, or a news executive, please consider applying for the AI J Lab: Leaders.

If you are a creator-operator running your own publication or channel, or a solo publisher building an audience and a business of your own, please consider applying for the AI J Lab: Creators.

Each lab has space for 20 to 25 participants who are passionate about driving change and sustainability in service to their audience, whether they work in legacy news operations or digital start-ups, for-profit or non-profit, covering general news or niche interests. We encourage journalists and leaders from diverse backgrounds and experience to apply to this inclusive program. Please contact us if you want to discuss whether this program is a fit for you.

You do not need to have any in-depth prior experience with AI to do this program. But we will select applicants who have a facility with technology, a track record of innovation and a stated curiosity about AI.

Yes. Part of the mission of this program is to bring together a diverse cohort of media leaders that can benefit from each other’s experience. However, you must be able to travel to the United States as part of the kick off for either lab.

Classes and coaching sessions will be led by a diverse and experienced group of media and AI innovators who understand technology from a journalism perspective, including Anita Zielina, founder of Better Leaders Lab and lead instructor for the Leaders track for a third year, and Liz Kelly Nelson, founder of Project C and partner instructor for the Creators track. Classes will alternate between lectures by AI visionaries and hands-on sessions by seasoned practitioners, with many opportunities for meaningful discussion.

Thanks to the support of Microsoft Journalism, the program is tuition-free if you are selected.

Yes, we will offer a flat travel stipend to help participants make the trip to the kick-off sessions in New York, if needed. This in-person session is mandatory for program participants.

Participants will not only forge lasting professional bonds with their cohorts, coaches and instructors but also join the vast and active network of alumni from the greater Newmark J-School community.