Previous research has shown that many, mainly larger and well-resourced newsrooms, have benefited from the transformative power of AI, while smaller news organisations often face unique challenges in adopting this technology. This marked a gap in support across the sector, making it important to address the inequality and lay the foundation in enabling smaller news organisations to experiment with AI technologies.

Our work with JournalismAI, a global initiative led by Polis, the journalism think tank at the London School of Economics and Political Science, focuses on helping smaller news organisations use artificial intelligence in responsible and practical ways. Over the past eight years, the initiative has supported innovation and capacity building across the global media landscape through research, training, various programmes and resources designed to make AI more accessible.

One of these programmes, JournalismAI Innovation Challenge, supported by the Google News Initiative, is a central part of this work. Delivered by JournalismAI, funded by the Google News Initiative and supported by LSE Consulting, the programme supports small and medium-sized news organisations to experiment with AI tools and approaches. The Challenge helps to address the sectoral gap by enabling participants to test ideas and build confidence in using AI in their day-to-day operations.

The current cohort brings together organisations from across 11 countries, including Taiwan, Slovakia, Portugal, the Philippines, India, Malaysia, Indonesia, the United States, Spain, Italy, and Brazil. Over a nine-month period, they are working on projects that explore audience intelligence and revenue growth, with the aim of developing tools and approaches that respond to the pressures facing modern newsrooms.

Participants are supported through structured sessions, expert guidance and a collaborative cohort model. This includes time to experiment, regular milestone reporting and opportunities to share learning with peers. The programme encourages both innovation and reflection, helping organisations to understand not just what works, but why.

The outcomes of these projects will be shared openly, contributing to a wider body of knowledge on how AI can be used in journalism. Previous cohorts have already demonstrated the value of this approach, with many organisations reporting improvements in internal workflows and the development of new ways to engage audiences.

For LSE Consulting, this project reflects how academic expertise, when combined with practitioner insight, can support meaningful change. By helping to connect research with real-world application, we aim to support initiatives that are both innovative and grounded in practical needs.

As conversations around artificial intelligence continue to evolve, programmes like the JournalismAI Innovation Challenge highlight the importance of responsible experimentation and collaboration across sectors.