Teams from 15 newsrooms worldwide will invest in educating their communities in AI. Courtesy image
Staff Report
The Los Alamos Daily Post has been selected as one of 15 newsrooms worldwide to join a new Trusting News initiative aimed at helping journalists and their audiences better understand artificial intelligence and its role in modern journalism.
Five newsrooms received grants to pursue innovative AI literacy projects, and 10 others, including the Los Alamos Daily Post, joined the AI literacy cohort. Both initiatives run from October 2025 through March 2026 and unite local news organizations from the United States, Canada, Spain and Nigeria. Cohort participants will produce public explainers on AI describing what it is, how it is used in news media, and its capabilities and limitations. Each newsroom also will survey audiences to measure how AI education affects reader understanding and trust.
The initiative is supported by the Patrick J. McGovern Foundation and led by Trusting News, a research and training organization that helps journalists strengthen credibility and foster reader confidence. Newsrooms participating in the cohort will receive a $2,000 stipend to support the training and research project.
“Artificial intelligence is rapidly changing how information is created and shared,” said Marlene Wilden of the Los Alamos Daily Post. “Our goal is to help readers understand both the opportunities and the risks of these tools and show how responsible use can support credible, human-centered reporting.”
Building Transparency Through AI Education
This work builds on Trusting News’ research into audience perceptions of artificial intelligence in journalism. Surveys of more than 6,000 news consumers found 94% of readers want journalists to disclose when AI is used. Eighty-seven percent said knowing why it was used is important. In addition, 92% said human oversight in AI-assisted content is essential, and more than 80% said they would value learning from newsrooms about AI’s real-world impact.
Additional research from Trusting News found AI disclosures can sometimes reduce short-term trust reflecting general public unease with the technology. Trusting News hopes the new cohort will identify ways to use education and transparency to address that skepticism.
“People have strong feelings about AI, often rooted in uncertainty,” said Lynn Walsh, assistant director of Trusting News and leader of the effort. “Our goal is to empower newsrooms to talk openly about their use of AI and to help audiences understand it as clearly and ethically as possible.”
What Participation Means for Readers
As part of the six-month project, the Los Alamos Daily Post will:
- Survey readers about their perceptions, questions and concerns regarding AI;
- Develop a public-facing AI use policy explaining how and why the newsroom uses AI tools;
- Publish educational explainers—from short social media posts to in-depth articles and videos—to help readers understand what AI can and cannot do; and
- Track audience responses to learn how transparency and education influence trust.
The project will conclude in spring 2026 with a report analyzing public reactions and engagement across the participating newsrooms. Insights will be shared within the news industry to support best practices for ethical AI use and communication.
A Commitment to Public Understanding
Founded in 2016, Trusting News helps newsrooms strengthen public confidence through transparency, audience engagement and accountability. The organization has developed tools such as the AI Trust Kit, which guides reporters and editors in disclosing AI use responsibly and clearly.
Trusting News emphasizes journalists play a crucial role not only in reporting on artificial intelligence but also in modeling its trustworthy, ethical use in their own work.
For the Los Alamos Daily Post, joining the AI Literacy Cohort continues its commitment to transparent, community-centered journalism.
“Because we believe trust is paramount, we want our readers to know how we gather and produce information, including whether AI plays a role,” Publisher Carol A. Clark said. “This project allows us to have that conversation directly with the community we serve.”
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