ONA x Newsroom Robots AI Leadership Summit

We are organizing a summit May 19–20, 2025 in Detroit to chart a course for news organizations to navigate the opportunities and challenges AI brings to journalism work. What makes this program unique is its emphasis on collaborative learning and future-focused thinking. Attendees won’t just be passive listeners — they’ll be active contributors, proposing and leading sessions on topics ranging from change management strategies to specific case studies.

The program for the ONA x Newsroom Robots AI Leadership Summit will include:

• Inspiring keynote conversations to frame the opportunities AI is bringing to our industry
• Collaborative, participant-driven unconference agenda, with sessions pitched on-site at the event and selected by fellow participants
• Live recording of an episode of the Newsroom Robots podcast, an interview with Zach Seward, journalist, media entrepreneur and Editorial Director of A.I. Initiatives at The New York Times.

The summit will focus on fostering collaboration, innovation and actionable strategies. Attendees will leave with concrete tools, frameworks, and strategies to lead their organizations into an AI-driven future.

Thanks to the generous support of ONA’s AI in Journalism Initiative funders, we’re able to offer this program for free, but space is limited. Breakfast, lunch and snacks will be included on both days of the Summit.

Attendees are responsible for booking their own travel and accommodations, as well as meals outside of the summit. We have secured a discounted room rate for attendees from a local hotel and will share a booking link in the confirmation email.

Day 1: Monday, May 19

8:30 a.m. — Breakfast available

9–10 a.m. — Welcome, Icebreaker and Unconference Introduction

We’ll review the summit agenda, get to know who else is in the room and introduce how we’ll approach the participant-driven unconference for Day 2. Attendees will have all morning and through the end of lunch to pitch and vote on sessions they’d like to explore as a group.

Sessions can take several formats:

• Skill building: technical skills (AI tools) or “soft” skills (change management, leadership)
• Case study: How [person/group] did [project/success story]
• Group discussion: A participatory table discussion about a topic or theme that benefits from a mix of perspectives from a group of peers (e.g., navigating platform reliance, fostering AI literacy, balancing R&D with ROI)
• Meetups: Affinity/subject matter gatherings (e.g., content creators, micro newsrooms, local news, audience engagement)
• Collaborative working groups: Group working time that ends with a document or resource drafted collaboratively that can be shared with the rest of attendees

10–11 a.m. — Keynote: Journalism’s Transformative Future in the Age of AI, with Nikita Roy

We’ll kick off the summit by diving into the transformative potential of AI and its implications for journalism over the next decade, highlighting the key AI trends that are poised to impact journalism’s future. You’ll leave with a clearer understanding of potential futures are for AI’s impact on news production, beyond the current uses.

11–11:15 a.m. — Break

11:15 a.m.–12 p.m. What’s Worth Solving: A Discovery Workshop for Newsroom Innovators, with Upasna Gautam

Before great products are built, great problems must be discovered. In this hands-on workshop, you’ll learn and apply key techniques to define, validate, and challenge product problems before jumping into solutions. You’ll leave with practical frameworks, sharper instincts, and the confidence to tackle product discovery with discipline and clarity.

12–1:30 p.m. — Lunch + Last call for Unconference pitches and votes

1:30–3 p.m. — Designing the Journalism Future We Want, with Sam Guzik

In this hands-on scenario workshop, we’ll map out what journalism could look like a decade from now—depending on the choices we make today. Through guided foresight techniques, participants will generate and explore plausible futures shaped by AI and newsroom decision-making, ending with clear priorities to help shape a more resilient, informed, and equitable media ecosystem.

3–3:15 p.m. — Break

3:15–4:30 p.m. — Newsroom Robots Podcast Recording, with Zach Seward and Nikita Roy

Gather for a live recording of the Newsroom Robots podcast, with time for audience questions.  Check out past episodes.

4:30–5 p.m. — Day 1 Closing, Share Unconference Schedule

We’ll wrap up on the themes of Day 1 and share the selected unconference schedule, so session leaders can prepare.

5 p.m. — Day 1 Close

Day 2: Tuesday, May 20

8:30 a.m. — Breakfast available

9–9:30 a.m. — Welcome, Check-in, Review Unconference Schedule

9:30–10:30 a.m. — Unconference Sessions

10:30–10:45 a.m. — Break

10:45–11:45 a.m. — Unconference Sessions

11:45 a.m.–1 p.m. — Lunch

1–2 p.m. — Unconference Sessions

2–2:15 p.m. — Break

2:15–3 p.m. — Reflection, Share-Out and Closing

3 p.m. — End