Tarbell Center for AI Journalism Fellowship 2026

🌟 About the Fellowship

The Tarbell Fellowship is a one-year program designed for journalists interested in covering artificial intelligence. The program includes:

• A nine-month placement at a major newsroom.
• A 10-week course covering AI and journalism fundamentals.
• A weeklong journalism summit in the San Francisco Bay Area.

Host Newsrooms (2025 Examples)

• Bloomberg
• The Guardian
• MIT Technology Review
• Time Magazine
• Other leading outlets

🎁 Benefits of the Fellowship

• Nine-month placement at a major newsroom focused on artificial intelligence. Placement details vary by outlet.
• Stipends:
  • $60,000 to $80,000 (depending on location) for Fellows.
  • $90,000 to $110,000 for Senior Fellows (with five or more years of experience in journalism or AI).
• 10-week remote program on AI and journalism fundamentals:
  • Full-time commitment.
  • Custom curriculum, guest lectures, and graded assignments.
• Weeklong summit in the San Francisco Bay Area:
  • Includes guest speakers, workshops, and networking events.
  • Travel and accommodation costs fully covered.

✅ Fellowship Requirements

Applicants should meet the following criteria:

• Previous newsroom experience is desirable but not mandatory (including student newspapers).
• A deep interest in artificial intelligence and its societal impact. Relevant experience in tech journalism, machine learning research, or AI governance is a plus.
• Creative storytelling skills and the ability to produce compelling content under tight deadlines.
• Perseverance and determination to achieve goals, even in the face of challenges. Fellows must be comfortable with cold emailing and interviewing unfamiliar people.
• A commitment to truth and openness to constructive criticism to improve writing and thinking.

📝 Application Process

The application form consists of five sections and is expected to take about one hour to complete (if you have a current CV and writing samples ready). The sections include:

1. About You (CV and writing samples)
2. Placement Matching
3. Multiple Choice
4. Short Answers
5. Quick Final Questions

📅 Application Deadline

07 January 2026

🌐 Application Portal

• View details of the fellowship: Tarbell Center for AI Journalism Fellowship
• Apply here: Application Form

Take advantage of this incredible opportunity to advance your career in AI journalism!

• Fellows secure a nine-month placement at a major newsroom covering artificial intelligence. Placement details vary by outlet.
• Fellows receive stipends of $60,000 to $80,000, depending on location, for the duration of their placement. Stipends for Senior Fellows (with five or more years of experience in journalism or AI) are $90,000 to $110,000.
• Prior to placements, fellows complete a 10-week program on AI and journalism fundamentals. This remote program requires a full-time commitment and includes a custom curriculum, guest lectures, and graded assignments.
• Fellows attend a weeklong summit in the San Francisco Bay Area before starting their placements. This will be an intensive week of guest speakers, workshops and networking events. Travel and accommodation costs will be fully covered.