“Generative AI is now embedded in the workflows of major newsrooms, including The New York Times, Financial Times, and the Associated Press.

“Experts predict 2026 will mark the shift from one-off experiments to AI running entire pipelines for investigations, fact-checking and audience engagement. At the same time, data centers already consume about 415 terawatt-hours globally, roughly 1.5 percent of world electricity, and the International Energy Agency projects that figure will double by 2030.

“AI is both a tool transforming newsrooms and a story-shaping force in public life. How should journalists approach both with rigor?

“In this one-hour session hosted by the University of Rhode Island’s Metcalf Institute and Solutions Journalism Network, veteran journalist and San Francisco State University Professor Yumi Wilson will cover four areas:

• How newsrooms and journalists worldwide are using AI today, with documented examples and recent research
• What we know about AI’s energy and water costs, and steps you can take to reduce your footprint
• Practical applications for journalists who do not want AI to write for them, including research, document analysis, and source preparation
• The CCRI prompting framework (Clarity, Context, Role, Intent), Yumi’s four-part method for achieving accurate, useful output, with examples drawn from science, environmental, and solutions reporting.

“Participants will walk away with a clearer understanding of how AI is shaping journalism worldwide and a practical prompting structure they can start using on the beat.

“The live training is open to working journalists only. After the event, a recording of the training will be available to the public for free on the Metcalf Institute and Solutions Journalism Network websites. Contact ethan.brown@uri.edu with questions.”