Every journalist knows the challenge: hours spent sifting through documents, transcripts, and source materials before the actual writing can begin. What if you could turn that pile of PDFs into a research assistant that actually knows your story—and doesn't make things up?
In this 90-minute hands-on session, organized by Transitions and Journalismfund Europe, Czech journalist Jan Žabka, will share how he's reshaped his daily workflow using freely available AI tools. No big newsroom budgets, no complex systems—just practical techniques that help him spend less time on preparation and more time on journalism that matters.
What to Expect
Jan will walk you through his actual workflow: from uploading source materials to getting reliable, grounded answers. You'll see how tools like Google's NotebookLM can serve as a personal research assistant built on your own documents, reducing the risk of AI hallucinations and speeding up your work with interviews, reports, and background research.
You'll Gain Insights Into:
- Building an AI assistant grounded in your own source materials
- Speeding up research without sacrificing accuracy
- Practical use cases: processing interviews, navigating long documents, preparing for reporting
- What works in a real journalist's daily routine—and what doesn't
- Using AI transparently: what to tell your readers and sources
Who Should Attend?
This workshop is ideal for journalists who:
- Work independently or in small teams without dedicated AI tools
- Want to boost productivity with accessible, free tools
- Are curious about AI but skeptical of the hype
- Prefer learning from a fellow journalist's real experience
About the Trainer
Jan Žabka is a Czech journalist with a background in investigative reporting and the founder of a regional news outlet okraj.cz. He has been integrating AI tools into his journalism practice and now trains fellow professionals—from journalists to librarians—on practical AI applications.
This event was co-organised by Transitions and Journalismfund Europe, with support from the European Commission.
