20 Media Innovators join the Latam JournalismAI Academy
This diverse cohort of media professionals will learn practical AI applications to improve their understanding of AI and journalism
As we kick off the second edition of the JournalismAI Academy for Latin America, we're excited to announce the 20 participants selected for the 2025 cohort.
This year, we’ve slightly updated our criteria to allow news organisations of any size to apply, not just small newsrooms. This change reflects our ongoing commitment to supporting a diverse range of journalists and media organisations in learning how artificial intelligence (AI) can enrich their work.
We received 361 applications, a significant increase from last year’s 221. The strong response shows a growing interest in the programme, and we’re grateful to everyone who took the time to apply. With such a high number of applications, it was a challenge to select just 20 participants. But before we share a little more about these participants, here’s what we found from the applications.
Preparing Journalists for the AI Era
For the first time, we asked applicants whether their organisation has an AI policy or guide. This question reflects growing conversations in journalism about ethical and responsible AI use. As AI becomes more integrated into news production, from transcription to content generation, clear editorial standards become increasingly important.
The results were telling. Only 12 of the 361 organisations that applied to the programme reported having formal AI guidelines. Another 80 are developing policies, while 229 organisations, the vast majority, said they lack any AI framework. This highlights a crucial gap: while AI experimentation is increasing, newsrooms often lack the structures needed for responsible implementation.
We discovered that applicants are looking to build practical AI skills. Common goals include learning to integrate AI into investigative workflows, such as cleaning public data or summarising long documents. Many want to understand how AI can reduce routine workloads, creating more time for deeper reporting. Others hope to develop skills for training colleagues or building internal capacity.
While some applicants are already experimenting with tools like ChatGPT and Gemini, speech-to-text apps, or automated transcriptions, most want to move beyond experimentation and into the strategic use of AI. Over the next five weeks, the selected participants will learn how AI tools and strategies can support their editorial goals and newsroom priorities.
A snapshot of Latin American Applicants
This year’s cohort includes journalists, editors, directors, and founders from 13 countries across LatAm. While the selected participants represent a range of newsroom sizes, the broader pool of applicants offers a snapshot of the diversity of journalism in the region.
Most applicants came from medium-sized teams with between 10 and 50 employees, while others represented smaller newsrooms or independent organisations. A smaller group came from large organisations with over 100 employees, including regional and national media outlets. The applicants reflect a blend of formal media organisations and grassroots/community-driven projects, with many working in resource-constrained newsrooms.
Journalists who applied to the Academy work across various formats, with most working in digital-first newsrooms. However, traditional media, including broadcast, radio, and print journalism, still have a strong presence. Podcasting and multimedia formats often tell underreported stories in more accessible and engaging ways.
The applicants report on everything from community issues to regional investigations. Much of their work focuses on public interest topics, including political accountability, environmental issues, and access to public services. Many see AI as a tool to scale up their impact.
Latin America is producing innovative AI work in journalism, and some of the selected newsrooms are leading these efforts. El Comercio, in Peru, has recently partnered with Perplexity to include their content in the platform's results, while Connectas' Operación Retuit has received the King of Spain International Cooperation and Humanitarian Aid Award for its impactful work.
Congratulations to the 20 successful participants joining the 2025 LatAm Academy. We're looking forward to their journey ahead.
Meet the Participants
🇦🇷 Argentina
Diego Dellatorre | Platform Coordinator at Cadena 3 Argentina
Rodrigo Ariel Rotonda | Deputy Director at El Eco
Sofia Sandoval | Sub-editor and audiovisual host at LMNeuquén
Leonardo Oliva | Editor at Connectas
🇧🇴 Bolivia
Doly Leytón Arnez | CEO/Journalist at La Región
🇧🇷 Brazil
Gabriel Zanlorenssi | Data journalist and graphics editor at Nexo Jornal
🇨🇱 Chile
Camila Alvarez Azócar | Head of Artificial Intelligence Strategy Integration at BioBioChile
Ítalo Morales Salinas | General Editor at Diario As Chile
🇨🇴 Colombia
María José Medellín Cano | Judicial Editor at El Espectador
Catalina Ruiz Navarro | Director at Revista Volcánicas
🇩🇴Dominican Republic
Jhojhanni Fiorini | Editor at Revista Mercado
🇪🇨 Ecuador
Gisella A. Rojas | Digital Director at Vistazo
🇸🇻 El Salvador
Daniel Reyes | Journalist at El Faro
🇭🇳 Honduras
Denis Eduardo Domínguez Cárcamo | Editor of the Research and Data Unit at El Heraldo
🇲🇽 Mexico
Alejandra Guadalupe Rodarte Luna | Head of the Digital Department at Hidrocálidodigital
Efraín Tzuc Salinas | Coordinator of the technological application unit at El Quinto Elemento, Laboratorio de Investigación e Innovación Periodística A.C.
🇵🇪 Peru
Scheila Katherine Tolentino Ventocilla | Artificial Intelligence Coordinator at La República
Mayté Julia Ciriaco Ruiz | Deputy Head of ECData (Data Journalism Unit) at El Comercio
🇺🇾 Uruguay
Ana Belén Fangio | Chief Social Media Coordinator at El Observador
The JournalismAI Academy for Latin America brings together a group of experienced professionals working across AI and journalism.
This year’s instructors will share practical insights to help participants learn how AI can support and shape their work.
Meet the instructors for this edition:
Juan Ginzo
Juan is an AI & Data Science Manager at News UK. He will be leading Module 1: Understanding AI & its applications
Fernanda Aguirre Ruíz
Fernanda is a data journalist at The Examination. She will be leading Module 2: Data & technology
Joaquín Saralegui
Joaquín is a Senior Software Engineer and Product Manager at Chequeado. He will be leading Module 3: Generative AI for journalism: Best Uses
Tomás Dodds
Tomás is an Assistant Professor in Journalism and Mass Communication at the University of Wisconsin-Madison and a Faculty Associate at the Berkman Klein Center for Internet & Society at Harvard University. He is also a researcher in the AI, Media & Democracy Lab in the Netherlands and the Artificial Intelligence and Society Hub [IA+SIC] in Chile. He will be leading Module 4: Risks & concerns
Claudia Báez
Claudia is a Consultant in digital and AI innovation and a leader in social impact entrepreneurship. She will be leading Module 5: From Ideation to Implementation
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