Help keep journalism in the AI conversation

For 15 years, Hacks/Hackers has been the hub where journalists and technologists come together to build the future of news and media. And, over the past twelve months, as generative AI evolves at a breathless pace and shakes up the journalism landscape, we have significantly accelerated our work as we expand programs aimed at advancing media innovation and fostering public trust in the information ecosystem. 

We're asking for your help to continue our work with a donation.

In May 2025 we launched the first Hacks/Hackers AI x Journalism Summit, bringing together 200+ industry leaders to tackle the biggest technology shift in a generation. The response to our focused, collaborative event in Baltimore was overwhelmingly positive and energetic. As a result, we're now planning the 2026 summit to bring even more newsrooms, local news publishers, independent creators and technology companies together for a second year.

This past year also saw Hacks/Hackers working directly inside newsrooms for the first time with the launch of our Newsroom AI Lab, offering smaller organizations hands-on technical support to deploy AI responsibly for reporting, creating products and designing roadmaps for a sustainable future.

We've run hackathons, gatherings and online sessions throughout 2025 – all free to attend, and accessible to newsrooms throughout the United States and all over the world. In our long-established role as a convener and incubator, over the past year we've connected people who went on to start projects together, change jobs and launch collaborations.

Why is this update from us important now?

Billions of dollars are being spent on AI infrastructure and platforms, and the media transformation is moving even faster.

Journalism needs a seat at the table, not just to use these tools, but to shape them – ethically and in service of public trust.

Hacks/Hackers is a lean, nimble nonprofit with zero bureaucracy. We focus on getting things done, and bringing the right people together in compelling formats to foster genuine collaboration.

We want to increase our impact even more in 2026, and are asking for your help with a donation that will have immediate impact.

We will use your donations to: 

1. Keep our programs free or low-cost (almost all our events are free)
2. Provide stipends so journalists from smaller newsrooms can attend our events
3. Share the latest technology and journalism updates  in our newsletter, website and elsewhere

We're grateful for anything you can give. Thank you for being part of this community.