ST. PETERSBURG, Florida (May 14, 2026) — The Poynter Institute today launched a new AI hub on Poynter.org, bringing together its work in journalism training, ethics, media literacy, fact-checking, research and consulting to help journalists and the public navigate a rapidly changing information environment.
In some newsrooms, AI is transcribing interviews, summarizing public meetings and helping reporters sift through mountains of documents and data for investigations. In others, editors have banned it outright. Most are somewhere in between.
Meanwhile, audiences are encountering more AI-generated images, videos, pink slime websites and newsletters.
Poynter has been helping newsrooms and their audiences navigate AI for several years, and the new hub centralizes Poynter’s services, training and resources. The aim is to help newsrooms use AI responsibly without losing audience trust, while helping audiences better understand how AI is shaping the information they consume every day.
“Every newsroom is being told they need an AI strategy, and most of the advice out there is too abstract, misguided or frankly offensive to act on,” said Alex Mahadevan, director of MediaWise and the faculty member leading the AI Innovation Lab at Poynter. “The new hub puts common sense, responsible AI training, frameworks and media literacy resources in one place, and keeps readers grounded when AI is showing up everywhere in their feeds.”
Poynter’s AI work also includes live training and member-exclusive programming through the Poynter Pro Teaching Series. On May 27, Mahadevan will lead “Using AI Effectively,” a live webinar designed to help journalists understand where AI can genuinely improve reporting workflows and where caution is needed. The session will cover how to use AI tools to find sources, documents and data faster, spot the limitations of AI research tools and integrate AI responsibly into reporting.
The new AI hub reflects Poynter’s unprecedented, end-to-end approach to the evolving media landscape. Visitors can explore:
- AI training for journalists, including self-directed courses, live webinars and practical training designed to help journalists use AI responsibly and stay competitive in a rapidly changing industry
- AI ethics and standards from the Newmark Ethics Center, offering frameworks to guide transparent and accountable use in newsrooms
- AI literacy from MediaWise, equipping the public to understand and engage with AI-driven content
- Consulting and coaching, supporting organizations with tailored AI strategies
- AI Fact-Checking from PolitiFact, helping journalists and audiences identify and debunk AI-generated misinformation and manipulated content
- Research and fact-checking, addressing the rise of AI-generated misinformation and equipping businesses of all kinds with resources to address it
By bringing these efforts together in one place, Poynter is reinforcing its role as a global leader helping journalists, creators, educators and audiences navigate the rapid transformation of the information ecosystem.
“Poynter has been at the forefront of helping newsrooms and audiences navigate AI from the very start,” said Sitara Nieves, Poynter’s vp of teaching and organizational strategy. “This hub brings that expertise together in one place, making it easier for journalists and news consumers to find the tools, training and guidance they need to move forward with confidence.”
AI is reshaping how information is created and distributed at extraordinary speed. At the same time, audiences report feeling overwhelmed, skeptical and disengaged from the news. Poynter’s work focuses on closing that gap by helping journalism remain understandable, useful and connected to the communities it serves.
The new AI hub is now live and accessible from the main navigation on Poynter.org.
Explore Poynter’s AI hub.
Media Contact
Jennifer Orsi
VIce President, Publishing and Local News Initiatives
Jorsi@poynter.org
About The Poynter Institute
The Poynter Institute is a global nonprofit working to address society’s most pressing issues by teaching journalists and journalism, covering the media and the complexities facing the industry, convening and community building, improving the capacity and sustainability of news organizations and fostering trust and reliability of information. The Institute is a gold standard in journalistic excellence and dedicated to the preservation and advancement of press freedom in democracies worldwide. Through Poynter, journalists, newsrooms, businesses, big tech corporations and citizens convene to find solutions that promote trust and transparency in news and stoke meaningful public discourse. The world’s top journalists and emerging media leaders rely on the Institute to learn new skills, adopt best practices, better serve audiences, scale operations and improve the quality of the universally shared information ecosystem.
The Newmark Ethics Center, the International Fact-Checking Network (IFCN), MediaWise and PolitiFact are all members of the Poynter organization.
Support for Poynter and our entities upholds the integrity of the free press and the U.S. First Amendment and builds public confidence in journalism and media — an essential for healthy democracies. Learn more at poynter.org.
