OpenAI wants to teach newsrooms how to use its tools. The company launched OpenAI Academy for News Organizations on Tuesday, a free training hub built in partnership with the American Journalism Project and The Lenfest Institute for Journalism.
Key Takeaways
- OpenAI launched a free AI academy with courses tailored for journalists.
- The platform includes on-demand videos, guides, and case studies.
- OpenAI is betting that training newsrooms will build long-term goodwill.
The academy offers on-demand training including an “AI Essentials for Journalists” course, practical use cases for investigative research and data analysis, open-source projects, and guidance on developing internal AI policies.
OpenAI announced the initiative at the AI and Journalism Summit, which it co-hosted with the Brown Institute for Media Innovation and Hearst.
Why it matters for newsrooms: This represents OpenAI’s most direct effort yet to embed itself within journalism workflows. The company is positioning the academy as a practical resource rather than marketing, with a focus on fact-gathering, translation, and production efficiency.
The move comes as OpenAI deepens its ties with major publishers. The company cited existing partnerships with News Corp, Axios, the Financial Times, Condé Nast, and Hearst, which together provide content in more than 20 languages.
OpenAI also noted that more than 800 million people use ChatGPT weekly, many of whom access news content through the platform.
Sponsored. Journalists, PR pros and communicators: the fall cohort of AI for Media starts October 13, six live Tuesday sessions with Pete Pachal plus two 1:1 coaching calls. Code AISEARCH500 takes $500 off the $1,500 price for anyone who found the course through AI search, a bigger discount than is offered anywhere else.
The company acknowledged concerns about AI’s impact on newsrooms. “We recognize that adopting new technology raises important questions for journalists and publishers, including concerns about trust, accuracy, and jobs,” OpenAI wrote. “The Academy is built with those realities in mind.”
What’s next: OpenAI plans to expand the academy with additional courses, case studies, and live programming throughout 2025.
The launch follows similar educational initiatives from other AI companies seeking to build goodwill with the news industry while facing ongoing criticism over training data and traffic diversion.
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