About the Talk:

AI is increasingly part of how journalists research, analyze, and tell stories. In this OpenAI Forum session, we will replay a previously recorded in-person conversation from our gathering in Washington D.C. earlier in March, followed by a live Q&A and demo.

The conversation brings together journalists, editors, and technologists to discuss how AI is being used across news organizations today, what responsible integration looks like in practice, and how shared guidance and learnings can help ensure these tools strengthen high-quality journalism and serve the public interest.

Featured speakers include Kayla Tausche (Moderator), Jim VandeHei (Co-founder, CEO and Chairman, Axios), Sarabeth Berman (CEO, American Journalism Project), and Shira T. Center (VP of Innovation & Strategic Initiatives, Boston Globe Media Partners).

Immediately following the Forum replay, Evan Hirsch, Senior Producer & AI Strategist will demo what he built for newsrooms and join us for a live Q&A.

About the Speakers:

Jim VandeHei - Jim VandeHei is the co-founder, CEO and Chairman of Axios, one of the most celebrated digital media success stories of the past decade. Before founding Axios, VandeHei co-founded and was CEO of Politico. Prior to this, VandeHei spent more than a decade as a reporter, covering the Presidency and Congress for The Wall Street Journal and The Washington Post. He was named National Editor of the Year in 2016.

Sarabeth Berman - Sarabeth Berman is the Chief Executive Officer of the American Journalism Project (AJP), the first venture philanthropy dedicated to local news. Since becoming AJP’s first CEO in 2020, she has led the organization in raising more than $243 million and building a portfolio of 54 nonprofit local news organizations nationwide. AJP supports the launch of new outlets and helps existing organizations grow and sustain their businesses; Fast Company named it one of the most innovative companies of 2023.

Shira T. Center - Shira T. Center is the Vice President of Innovation & Strategic Initiatives at Boston Globe Media Partners, where she leads enterprise AI adoption across four newsrooms and 800 employees, integrating AI into editorial workflows, governance, and revenue-generating products. She previously served as the Globe’s Political Editor. Before joining the Globe, she was a Washington-based political journalist whose work appeared in The Washington Post, Roll Call, Politico and National Journal.

Evan Hirsch - Evan Hirsch spent 20 years in television news as a senior producer and editorial leader at NBC News, MSNBC, and CBS News — and before that, in local newsrooms from Philadelphia to Syracuse. Without writing a line of code, he built AI tools now embedded in NBC News’ daily workflow, including one that scans local news sites to surface stories with national potential. His latest AI solutions help journalists edit broadcast copy faster and navigate complex legal documents. He holds a dual degree from Syracuse University’s Newhouse and Maxwell Schools.