JournalismAI Innovation Challenge 2025 Closing Soon. Apply NOW
The call for applications for the second edition of the JournalismAI Innovation Challenge, supported by the Google News Initiative, is closing soon. This year’s theme is all about audience intelligence and revenue growth. APPLY HERE
Successful publishers will receive funding, mentorship, technical guidance, and a space to experiment with AI tools in ways that make a difference inside newsrooms.
The final information session is today at 5 PM GMT GMT. If you haven’t joined one yet, this is your last chance. Sign up to join the session.
This year we’ll support up to 12 news organisations who will use AI technologies to enhance and improve audience intelligence and revenue growth.
Here are a few examples that publishers could explore using AI for audience intelligence and revenue growth:
-
Using AI to make subscriptions, memberships and donations more effective and profitable by understanding and influencing reader behaviour in real-time, e.g dynamic paywall strategies; churn prediction and prevention; personalised products or recommendations.
-
Publishers could explore new B2B revenue streams through packaging unique insights and content, e.g. creating a new premium subscription-based data insight service; or using AI to mine and structure premium content and audience data.
At the end of the programme, selected organisations will share outcomes of their respective projects. They will also share best practices about using AI technologies in the news industry.
Grants will be awarded as follows:
-
8 ideas will receive US $50,000 each
-
4 ideas will receive US $100,000 each
Organisations will express which amount they are applying for in the application form.
Applicants may work on an existing proof-of-concept or submit an entirely new idea that they would like to develop into a working prototype by the end of the programme. We welcome ideas that are early-stage or pre-launch and not yet live within the organisations (Please refer to Application Terms and Conditions for details).
-
Government-owned entities or entities affiliated/owned by a political party are not eligible to apply.
-
Eligible applicants must have a verifiable digital presence (such as a website primarily providing journalistic content) and have been in full operation – and active with recent content – for at least 12 months preceding the call for applications
-
Eligible applicants must be small and medium-sized news publishers (10-200 personnel) that are already exploring the possibilities of AI technologies.
-
Eligible applicants must be able to launch, implement, and measure the impact of the grant on their organisation within a maximum nine (9) month period.
-
This is not a reporting or storytelling grant and funding must not be used to report and produce stories primarily. Eligible grants should not focus on the creation of tools for newsgathering, verifying information, fact-checking, detecting misinformation or original journalism. Eligible ideas will utilise AI for audience intelligence and revenue growth.
-
You are willing to share business insights and openly collaborate with other grantees, as well as track results throughout and submit a report of your performance at the end of the programme.
-
Please note that only publishers whose primary focus is news publication will be considered.
-
Publishers who were awarded grants as part of the first JournalismAI Innovation Challenge are not eligible to apply to this challenge.
If you’re working on an idea that could reimagine or even just improve how journalism is done using AI, we want to see it.
Deadline to apply: Wednesday, 3 December at 23:59 GMT. Late applications will not be accepted. APPLY HERE
Application Details
The Programme is only open to small and medium-sized publishers (10-200 personnel) that are already exploring the possibilities of AI technologies.
Consideration will be given to projects delivered in local languages, with efforts targeted to citizens of all ages, and to projects within both urban and rural communities.
To help us review your application efficiently, please submit it in English using the provided online form. A version of the application form is available through this Google doc to help you fill the online form. Please contact us if you have any concerns about accessing the application or providing responses in English.
Funding details
❖ All successful applicants will sign a funding agreement to receive funds, which will be made in three instalments.
❖ Eligible expenses include personnel costs directly related to the delivery of the funded project, engineering costs and the purchase or licensing of any equipment, tools, hardware, software and other assets or materials needed for the project. Funding may not be spent on general and overhead costs. Please refer to the Application Terms and Conditions for details.
Apply Now
Please submit your application in English using the provided Google form. Contact us if you have any concerns about accessing the application or providing responses in English.
For preparation only, please find in this Google Doc all the questions of the form below. You can make a copy of the document. The Google Doc is not needed for the application, it is just a resource to help you prepare to fill the form below.
