ProPublica & Lenfest Institute: AI Collaboration & Fellowship
- ProPublica is joining a cross-industry effort to explore how artificial intelligence technologies can responsibly enhance investigative journalism.
- the Lenfest Institute for Journalism supports the program, which includes the Boston Globe, The Dallas Morning News, The Baltimore Banner, and Arizona State University’s NEWSWELL.The initiative aims to...
- The engineer at ProPublica will work with the engagement reporting group, which uses crowdsourcing for investigations.
ProPublica is diving into the world of artificial intelligence to revolutionize investigative journalism. This groundbreaking collaboration, backed by the Lenfest Institute, will see ProPublica launch a fellowship dedicated to using machine learning for tip analysis. The initiative aims to harness the power of AI to streamline the process of identifying adn prioritizing leads. News Directory 3 is following the story closely. The project includes partnerships with esteemed news organizations like The Boston Globe and The Dallas Morning News. With support from OpenAI and Microsoft, this program seeks to develop lasting solutions for the news industry by leveraging AI tools ethically.Discover what’s next as ProPublica and its collaborators share their valuable discoveries.
ProPublica to Explore AI’s Role in Investigative Journalism With New Fellowship
Updated June 01,2025
ProPublica is joining a cross-industry effort to explore how artificial intelligence technologies can responsibly enhance investigative journalism. The nonprofit newsroom will hire an engineer for a two-year fellowship to focus on machine learning and its potential to improve tip analysis.
the Lenfest Institute for Journalism supports the program, which includes the Boston Globe, The Dallas Morning News, The Baltimore Banner, and Arizona State University’s NEWSWELL.The initiative aims to help local news organizations leverage new AI technology to build lasting businesses.
The engineer at ProPublica will work with the engagement reporting group, which uses crowdsourcing for investigations. The team gathers leads and evidence from communities nationwide through callouts, tip lines, and citizen-fueled science projects. the goal is to use large language models to evaluate, categorize, and route incoming tips more efficiently, ensuring they reach the appropriate journalist faster.
Ben Werdmuller, senior director of technology at ProPublica, said the organization believes AI technologies can definitely help journalists and readers “find needles in the haystack.” He added that ProPublica is excited to explore the possibilities in ways that align with its values and standards.
Participating news organizations will collaborate to share their findings, product developments, case studies, and technical data with the broader news industry.
The Lenfest AI Collaborative and Fellowship launched in October 2024 with $10 million in support from OpenAI and microsoft. Each company provided $2.5 million in direct funding and $2.5 million in software and enterprise credits.
“The Lenfest Institute is proud to partner with OpenAI and Microsoft to expand the AI Collaborative and Fellowship program. The five publishers joining the program are leaders in the field, and we look forward to sharing what they learn with the rest of the industry,” said Lenfest institute Executive Director and CEO Jim Friedlich.
What’s next
The collaborative effort will continue to explore ethical uses of AI to advance sustainable solutions for local news, with participating newsrooms sharing their progress and insights with the wider industry.