Profanity
/Profanity is a lazy man’s way of trying to be emphatic.
A Competition Between People & Machines
/Framing the future as a competition between people and machines is a false choice. AI will automate tasks, transform professions, and displace some jobs. It is equally misguided to conclude that expertise no longer matters. What is changing is how expertise creates value: less time spent on repetitive execution, and more on defining the right problem, recognizing exceptions, validating outcomes, and taking responsibility for the consequences of a decision. -Eduardo Perez
10 Articles about Jobs in Public Relations
/Can journalists easily switch to PR? - PR Moment
From Policy to PR – It Was the Same Job All Along - Campaigns & Elections
From the pros: job-seeking advice everyone should know - PR Daily
How to choose between agency and in-house roles - PR Daily
How to Land a Fashion PR Internship, According to Publicists - Fashionista
How to write a great bio: A strong “about me” can really make you stand out - PR Daily
Majority of PR Pros Using AI, Survey Finds - PRSA
The PR Job You Want Exists (It’s Just Not Called “Public Relations”) - Media Bistro
What experienced communicators wish new PR pros understood - PR Daily
Your Guide to Landing an Entry-Level Marketing Job - Coursera
Who Admires You?
/Tell me who admires and loves you, And I will tell you who you are. –Charles Aguustin Sainte-Beuve
AI Definitions: Artificial Intelligence
/Artificial Intelligence (AI) – AI typically refers to computers that imitate the process of human thinking, able to make some decisions on their own without human intervention. The defining feature of artificial intelligence is that its behavior is learned from data rather than from being explicitly programmed. When most people talk about artificial intelligence, they typically refer to LLMs (Large Language Models). While AI can effectively mimic and mix established patterns in creative ways, it does not perform well at creating new things by breaking expectations and conventional forms.
18 Articles about AI & Politics
/Chatbots are doing the work of Congress with little oversight – Washington Post
China’s A.I. Is Surging Across Africa. That Should Worry Silicon Valley. – New York Times
The hottest AI models in Silicon Valley face a powerful source of competition – Washington Post
China’s A.I. Play Is Different From America’s – New York Times
White House will exempt ‘open’ AI systems from security review – Washington Post
New York bans data center construction for a year, rattling AI industry – Arstechnica
Xi Jinping casts himself as leader of new AI world order – Semafor
India Is Moving Fast to Catch Up in A.I. A Coastal City Fears the Fallout. – New York Times
Censorship in Chinese AI models can be undone, new research shows – Semafor
How Terrorist Groups Are Using A.I. to Gain an Edge in Battle – New York Times
Political text messages could get more effective and annoying. Blame AI – NPR
The Logo for Donald Trump International Airport Appears to Be AI Slop – Futurism
Trump’s Vision for A.I. Dominance Comes With Major Air Pollution – New York Times
What AI companies want for the millions they’re spending on elections – CNBC
AI-generated video of Vermont congressional race tests new state disclosure law – WCAX
In Texas, AI-generated political ads are blurring the line between real and fake- Poynter
As Voters Grow Anxious Over A.I., Trump Shrugs Off the Concern - New York Times
The Test
/The test isn't whether an institution is perfect, but rather how it responds when evil is exposed. -David French
Nikki's Story
/Nikki was driving through the Rocky Mountains with her daughter when their truck hit black ice and flipped over the guardrail. Nikki was knocked unconscious as the vehicle rolled over four times and landed on a barbwire fence. When five-year-old Mary couldn’t wake her bleeding mother, she didn’t sit and cry. Mary crawled out of one of the broken windows and climbed 150 feet to the road where she waved down at a passing truck. As emergency workers cut the roof off the truck to get Nikki out, Mary waited in one of the rescue vehicles. She asked a paramedic if her mother was dead. It would be three days before Nikki would wake up.
When Mary was later asked why she went for help on her own, the kindergartener said, “I needed to save my mom because I love my mom.”
Nikki and Mary recovered from their injuries at home. Mary was given an award for bravery.
Stephen Goforth
17 Articles about the Business of Running an AI Company
/Four Top Google A.I. Researchers Form New Start-Up – New York Times
White House will exempt ‘open’ AI systems from security review – Washington Post
What Are Companies Getting for All That A.I. Spending? – New York Times
Chinese AI firm DeepSeek releases new coding model that costs a fraction of leading frontier systems – Axios
Frontier AI labs are responsible for their models (editorial board) – Washington Post
In Silicon Valley, Some Say an A.I. Bubble Would Be Just Fine – New York Times
Second major AI company says its systems hacked into other firms – Washington Post
AI personality is a design problem – UX Design
A.I. Data Centers in Space? A System to Cool Chips Could Help. – New York Times
What it's like inside the data centers powering the AI boom – Axios
Elon Musk’s xAI sues Minnesota over its first-in-the-nation law banning ‘nudification’ technology – Associated Press
AI labs face prisoner's dilemma as momentum grows for safety slowdown – Axios
A.I. Companies Are Recruiting Electricians and Carpenters by the Thousands – New York Times
China’s Moonshot Releases Breakthrough AI Model for Download – - Bloomberg
China’s A.I. Is Surging Across Africa. That Should Worry Silicon Valley. – New York Times
Mark Zuckerberg Lays Out New AI Vision in 6,500-Word Essay – Wall Street Journal
Just because
/Just because something doesn't do what you planned it to do doesn't mean it's useless. -Thomas Edison, born Feb. 11, 1847
17 Webinars this week about AI, Journalism, & Media
/Tue, Aug 11 - ChatGPT 201 For Midterms - Virtual Session
What: The goal is simple: leave with practical ways to use ChatGPT in the reporting and research you already do. We’ll cover source-first workflows, political reporting use cases, stronger prompting, and techniques for turning dense material into clear, structured briefs. You’ll also see how ChatGPT Work, agents, skills, and custom apps can turn a useful workflow into a repeatable newsroom tool. You’ll leave with examples you can adapt and build yourself—no technical background required.
Who: Evan Hirsch, OpenAI for News, OpenAI; Mark Murray Editorial Director, OpenAI.
When: 12 pm Eastern
Where: Zoom
Cost: Free
Sponsor: OpenAI Academy
Tue, Aug 11 - The exponential new demand of AI for power
Who: Clinton A. Vince Chair, U.S. Energy Practice and Co-Chair, Global Transportation and Infrastructure, Dentons.
When: 2 pm Eastern
Where: Zoom
Cost: Free
Sponsor: USC Center on Communication Leadership and Policy's Washington Programs
Tue, Aug 11 - AI Policy in the Newsroom
What: We will discuss how and how often to undertake an AI policy revision and what to consider in that process. Matt leads his organization's AI Committee, developing a policy that will help guide journalists in their ethical use of artificial intelligence tools.
Who: Cynthia Tu, Data Reporter & News Technology Specialist at Sahan Journal, a nonprofit newsroom dedicated to reporting for immigrants and communities of color in Minnesota; Matt DeFour, State Bureau Chief for Wisconsin Watch, the state's oldest nonprofit investigative and community forward newsroom.
When: 3 pm, Eastern
Where: Zoom
Cost: Free
Sponsor: Online News Association
Tue, Aug 11 - How to Report on Labor and Human Rights
What: This session centers on the human dimension of ocean industries, focusing on labor conditions, forced labor risks, and human rights violations in fisheries and maritime sectors. Journalists will learn how recruitment systems work, how abuse occurs across borders, and how to ethically report on vulnerable workers. The webinar will also cover sourcing strategies, including how to reach and interview seafarers safely.
Who: Federico Acosta Rainis, Pulitzer Center Staff; Katie McQue ORN Fellow
When: 12 pm, Eastern
Where: Zoom
Cost: Free
Sponsor: Pulitzer Center
Wed, Aug 12 - Intro to AI for Small Businesses
What: A non-technical introduction to generative AI technology, tips for implementing AI effectively in your business, some great advice about managing the risks and ethical concerns involved, and will lead you a hands-on exercise using a generative AI tool. No matter what your level of technical know-how is, you’ll leave this session informed, confident and aware of both the risks and the benefits of this emerging technology.
Who: Isabel Krome, Temple Small Business Development Center.
When: 8:30 am
Where: Zoom
Cost: Free
Sponsor: Small Business Development Center, Temple University
Wed, Aug 12 - How to Spread Solutions Journalism on Social Media, Part 2
What: This is part two of a webinar series on creating compelling social-first content that expands the reach and impact of your solutions reporting.
Who: Jonathan Woodward, a multimedia producer and creative strategist who previously served as writer, producer and co-host of SJN’s Tell Me Something Good partnership with Google Creative Labs.
When: 11 am Eastern
Where: Zoom
Cost: Free
Sponsor: Solutions Journalism
Wed, Aug 12 - The Craft of Journalism with Ernie Pyle
What: During this session, you’ll gain insight on how you can write and share emotional human interest stories that catch readers’ attention and create lasting impact.
Who: This workshop led by the foundation dedicated to preserving the legacy of Pulitzer-winning war correspondent Ernie Pyle.
When: 11 am Eastern
Where: Zoom
Cost: Free
Sponsor: Military Veterans in Journalism
Wed, Aug 12 - In the Era of AI – How Can You Keep Your Agency Safe
What: Learn how agencies are building resilient cybersecurity programs that can adapt to the evolving threat landscape. Experts will discuss how agencies are strengthening defenses, improving visibility, and managing cyber risk at scale.
Who: Marina Kelly, Chief Information Security Officer, City of Raleigh, Information Technology; Zach Oxman, Area Vice President, State, Local, and Education, U.S. Public Sector, Abnormal AI; Francisco Ramirez, Chief Architect, State and Local Government, Red Hat; Egon Rinderer, Senior Vice President, Federal & Enterprise Growth, NinjaOne.
When: 2 pm Eastern
Where: Zoom
Cost: Free
Sponsor: GovLoop
Wed, Aug 12 - We Invested in AI. Now What?
What: Join this session to learn: Why AI adoption stalls after the rollout, and why more training won't fix; The structural difference between access and adoption; What the organizations seeing real returns from AI did differently; How to measure what actually matters.
Who: Markus Bernhardt, Ph.D. AI Strategist; Joe Leslie VP of Global AI Learning and Development, Golin.
When: 2 pm Eastern
Where: Zoom
Cost: Free
Sponsor: Training Magazine Network
Wed, Aug 12 - Accelerating Scientific Discovery: AI Case Studies in Research
What: How research leaders are using AI and high-performance computing to accelerate discovery. From literature review to complex simulation to publication, AI is reshaping every stage of scholarship. You’ll learn how peer institutions are prioritizing AI and HPC investment amid tight budgets, and the impact AI has on diverse research endeavors.
Who: Alexander C. Kafka, Senior Editor, The Chronicle of Higher Education; Jason Cherubini, Executive in Residence of Finance Loyola University Maryland; Reena Mehra, Professor in and Head of Division of Pulmonary, Critical Care and Sleep Medicine University of Washington; Sagar Samtani Director, Data Science and Artificial Intelligence Lab, Kelley School of Business Indiana University; Denny Schaedig, Data Engineer, Laboratory for Child Brain Development Washington University; Ryan White, Associate Professor, Mathematics and Systems Engineering Florida Institute of Technology.
When: 2 pm Eastern
Where: Zoom
Cost: Free
Sponsor: Chronicle of Higher Ed
Wed, Aug 12 - Writing That Breaks the Rules: 10 Craft “Laws” You Can Defy
What: We will start from the beginning and look at how to create a newsletter for anyone eager to begin. We’ll address important and often-overlooked areas like the Substack name, About section, and style. We’ll also look at common questions: How often should you post? How long should your posts be? What should you write about (and what if you change your mind)? How do you sustain momentum beyond the first few months? Finally, we’ll discuss how to gain readers and continue growing your audience over time.
Who: Becky Tuch, founder of Lit Mag News.
When: 3 pm
Where: Zoom
Cost: $30
Sponsor: Lit Mag News
Thu, Aug 13 - The new search journey: How AI is changing online discovery
What: For years, typing a question into a search engine was simply what you did. Now, more people are turning to AI chatbots first, asking a question and getting a direct answer instead of a list of links. But how far has this shift actually gone in Australia, India, Hong Kong and Singapore? Are consumers replacing search engines with AI tools, or just adding them to the mix? And when an AI assistant gives an answer, do people actually believe it?
Who: Fumin Rianto, Research Director, YouGov Australia; Dicky Li, Business Development Manager, YouGov Hong Kong.
When: 2 am, Eastern
Where: Zoom
Cost: Free
Sponsor: You Gov
Thu, Aug 13 - Media Relations for Mission-Driven Organizations
What: This workshop will demystify the media landscape and help organizations build relationships with journalists, develop effective pitches, and amplify their stories with purpose and clarity.
Who: Laura Herrera, Chief Marketing & Revenue Officer at the Griffin Museum of Science and Industry.
When: 11 am, Eastern
Where: Zoom
Cost: Free
Sponsor: Chicago Cultural Alliance
Thu, Aug 13 - News Literacy for Every Classroom: An Integrated Approach
What: Just getting started with news literacy or looking for fresh, meaningful ways to weave this essential life skill into your teaching? This edWebinar will help you build a strong foundation for the school year. You’ll discover ways to embed news literacy into your discipline to help students make informed decisions.
Who: Tracee Stanford, Senior Manager of Professional Learning at the News Literacy Project.
When: 12 pm, Eastern
Where: Zoom
Cost: Free
Sponsor: News Literacy Project
Thu, Aug 13 - 4 Mindshifts for Teaching AI Agency
What: How educators can support AI agency among their students—right now. We’ll share relevant resources and four enduring mindshifts that are game changing for classroom conversations about tech.
Who: Dan Be Kim, AI Fellow and Translational Research Designer, Center for Digital Thriving, Harvard Graduate School of Education; Carrie James, Co-Founder and Co-Director, Center for Digital Thriving, and Co-Director, Project Zero, Harvard Graduate School of Education.
When: 3 pm, Eastern
Where: Zoom
Cost: Free
Sponsor: Center for Digital Thriving at the Harvard Graduate School of Education
Thu, Aug 13 - SPJ Code of Ethics Listening Session No. 1
What: The first of three listening sessions with the SPJ Code of Ethics revision committee. Learn about the work that has gone into the recommended Code revisions, the revisions being considered and ask your questions. Registration required.
When: 7 pm, Eastern
Where: Zoom
Cost: Free
Sponsor: Society of Professional Journalists
More Info
Fri, Aug 14 - Using AI in innovative ways to reach new audiences
What: Audience engagement through search engines is shrinking. Pros from Merrill College demonstrate new, AI-driven ways to boost engagement.
Who: Stacey Decker Director, Capital News Service Audience Engagement Bureau·University of Maryland Philip Merrill College of Journalism; Shuning Lu Assistant Professor of Media, Democracy and Technology·University of Maryland Philip Merrill College of Journalism.
When: 12 pm, Eastern
Where: Zoom
Cost: Free
Sponsor: University of Maryland
Creative Disrupters
/Surround yourself with like-minded creative disrupters.
Doing Stuff
/Stop doing stuff you already know how to do. Start doing things that only God could pull off. -Bob Goff.
AI writing feedback
/Providing information about a student’s background—their race, gender, language, disability status, achievement level, or even motivation—can significantly change the kind and quality of writing feedback the AI tool provides, according to the study. -EdWeek
28 Recent Articles about AI & Academic Scholarship
/AI’s top startups are barely publishing their research – Science
What AI’s usurping of the peer-reviewed publications means for medicine and pharmaceutical industry - The London School of Economics
Can we stop AI from flooding scientific journals? – C&EN
AI in scientific publishing: Slower, worse, and more expensive – Science
How to Research Technical Topics With AI - 0xkato
AI reviewers make it easier to get research published. US study calls it paper-laundering – The Print
Doctored data sets could trick AI agents – Nature
The case for researchers publishing less in the age of AI – University World News
Award-winning Korea studies scholar accused of using AI-fabricated citations – NK News
AI tools meant to vet science are surprisingly easy to fool – Science News
UK ‘should lean into research quality’ on AI, says Elsevier leader – Research Professional News
‘Humanizer’ tool can erase signs of AI-written text — alarming scientists – Nature
AI-assisted reviews will result in ordinary, uncontroversial research – The Times Higher Ed
AI Slop Is a Tenure Problem, Not Just a Tech Problem – Inside Higher Ed
In the AI era, the human struggle can no longer be the point of research - The Times Higher Ed
Artificial intelligence in scientific review and writing: What should we be doing? – Oxford Acamdemic
Research integrity in the age of AI (podcast) - The Lancet
University launches investigation into its faculty member's paper allegedly containing AI watermarks in graphics – Global Times
Scientists decry conference’s use of hidden prompts to snare AI peer reviews – The Transmitter
New AI Agents Pose ‘Existential Threat’ to How Grants Are Awarded – Inside Higher Ed
Publication fraud in the era of generative artificial intelligence – British Pharmacological Society
Anyone can fake a scientific image with AI, tricking even academic journals – and undermining trust in science – The Conversation
AI promised to democratise academic publishing – the evidence says otherwise – The London School of Economics
Journal investigating paper on cognitive impact of generative AI – Retraction Watch
Did AI write this article? Perish the thought. But we tracked how artificial intelligence is changing five creative fields – The Economist
Scientists want you to read their research papers—so they’re using gen AI to turn them into TikTok videos – Fast Company
AI Creates Viruses
/An A.I. was able to create 16 viruses not found in nature after scientists trained it on DNA libraries: “These viruses didn’t pose a threat to humans, but the adds to growing worries that artificial intelligence might enable the creation of a new generation of biological weapons, from deadly poisons to unstoppable pandemics.” -New York Times
Your Strength Zone
/Successful people know their strength zone and consistently works in it. Successful leaders know how to find the strength zone for the people they lead and help them consistently work in it. -John Maxwell
14 Articles about what to do on the job
/7 tips for being a happy and successful remote worker - Freelancers Union
16 simple things to do now to get a promotion this year - Fast Company
Engineer A Winning Attitude At Work With These 7 Critical Soft Skills - Forbes
How Do You Know When It’s Time to Leave a Job? - Medium
How to avoid burnout without quitting your job - Women & Home
How to handle your work jerk - McKinsey
How to know if it’s time to quit your first job - The Conversation
How to professionally say (a guide for your daily "professional" interactions)
How to Quit your Job - Harvard Business Review
‘I Was Turned Down for a Raise — Now What?’ - The Cut
Planning to quit your job? 3 key things to think about first - ZDNet
Should You Quit a Chaotic Job Right Now, or Stick It Out? - Wall Street Journal
'Soft skills': The intangible qualities companies crave - BBC
Want a better job and a pay rise? Eleven ways to progress at work – and avoid a ‘dry promotion’ - The Guardian
You Got The Promotion. Then Everything Went Downhill. - Forbes
How Digital Twins are being Used
/Digital twins can answer in the real person’s voice and apply their thinking on demand for anyone who wants to chat online or call. Some companies now build twins that sit on Zoom calls for C.E.O.s or manage projects while their owners are on vacation. Professors at Clemson University deploy them to answer student questions at 2 a.m. A sex therapist uses her digital twin to offer individual counseling to hundreds of people at once. A man in Berlin created a twin after he was diagnosed with terminal cancer, so his wife could still talk to him before bed. -New York Times
20 Articles about How AI is Affecting Jobs
/AI is changing older workers’ careers, research finds — here’s how - CNBC
Workers are crossing job boundaries with AI, OpenAI research shows – Axios
How AI is impacting the job market – Harvard Business Review
Can AI can help job-seekers facing one of the hardest obstacles? – NPR
Why Gen Z May Have An Unexpected Edge In The AI Job Market – Forbes
Could AI take your job? Some workers in China already know the answer - The Guardian
AI Is Pushing Older Employees Straight Out of the Workforce, New Report Finds – Futurism
Could A.I. Do Your Job? We Put Agents to the Test. - New York Times
Despite AI hype, Google’s data shows workers aren’t automating themselves away – Arstechnica
Big Tech Has Suddenly Flipped on the AI Jobs Wipeout Scenario – Wall Street Journal
For those with criminal records, AI is breaking down barriers to employment – NPR
The number of job titles that involve AI, even outside the tech world, is surging – NBC News
How Top Economists Think AI Will Change the Job Market – Wall Street Journal
The Hidden Workers Most Threatened by A.I. – New York Times
AI Is a Boon to Ambitious Recent Grads – Wall Street Journal
Is AI putting graduates out of work already? – Economist
AI Prompts a Rise in Career Changes – Revolio Labs
You Can Now Get a Religious Exemption From Using AI at Work – Futurism
The AI jobs apocalypse probably isn’t coming anytime soon – The Guardian
‘Can AI Do My Job?’ Is the Wrong Question: Here are three better ones to ask. – The Atlantic