Supporting independent journalism in Ukraine

What happened

The following was issued as a joint press release on Monday 7th September 2026 from WAN-IFRA, AIRPPU and OpenAI. The Newsroom AI Masterclass Series and Newsroom AI Catalyst support Ukraine’s independent news sector with a focus on AI adoption, innovation and resilience.

All organisations participating in the programme will also receive credits to OpenAI’s API to facilitate the development of bespoke newsroom solutions. The programme builds on WAN-IFRA’s extensive global work supporting AI adoption in news organisations—including leadership programmes, industry research, peer-learning communities and practical implementation initiatives—and OpenAI’s continued partnership with news organisations around the world to help support their vital missions.

Why it matters

OpenAI, WAN-IFRA and the Association of Independent Regional Press Publishers of Ukraine (AIRPPU) have announced a new initiative to support and strengthen Ukrainian news publishers by building practical artificial intelligence capabilities and accelerating innovation across their organisations.

During a time of continued conflict and unrest, the new initiative—developed by AIRPPU in partnership with WAN-IFRA and OpenAI—aims to help news organisations harness the opportunities of artificial intelligence to strengthen the sustainability, efficiency and resilience of independent journalism. The Newsroom AI Masterclass Series will build on prior successful initiatives of WAN-IFRA and OpenAI and bring together international experts and practitioners to share practical knowledge, case studies and implementation strategies.

The topics span a broad range of critical news organisation priorities, including editorial workflows, audience engagement, product development, revenue generation, organisational change and responsible AI adoption. Building on this foundation, the Newsroom AI Catalyst will provide deeper, hands-on support to ten participating Ukrainian news organisations as they identify high-impact use cases, develop implementation roadmaps and pilot AI-enabled solutions tailored to their specific needs.

What to watch

The Newsroom AI Masterclass Series began on August 5, 2026, with the Newsroom AI Catalyst set to launch on September 17, 2026. Further details regarding participation and full programme dates can be found here⁠(opens in a new window). WAN-IFRA, the World Association of News Publishers, unites media globally to strengthen the business of trusted journalism and defend press freedom.

The Association of Independent Regional Press Publishers of Ukraine (AIRPPU) is the largest network of independent regional and local news publishers in Ukraine. The association supports media sustainability, professional journalism and press freedom through capacity-building programmes, emergency support, innovation initiatives and international partnerships, working with independent news organisations across the country.