>> CATHY: IN OUR LINE OF WORK, THERE'S BEEN A LOT OF HAND-WRINGING OVER THE POTENTIAL IMPACTS OF A.I.

AND THE CHALLENGES A.I.

IMAGES AND DISINFORMATION CAN POSE TO NEWS REPORTING.

BUT JOURNALISTS ARE ALSO INCREASINGLY MAKING USE OF A.I.

TO AUGMENT AND IMPROVE THAT REPORTING IN NEWSROOMS ACROSS THE COUNTRY.

IN OUR NECK OF THE WOODS, FRANK BI SPEARHEADS THE USE OF A.I.

TOOLS AT THE "MINNESOTA STAR TRIBUNE."

THANKS SO MUCH FOR BEING HERE.

IT'S GOOD TO MEET YOU.

>> THANKS FOR HAVING ME.

>> Cathy: ABSOLUTELY.

SO I WAS TALKING TO SOME JOURNALISTS IN CALIFORNIA AND THEY'RE USING A.I., MOSTLY NOW TO DO INVESTIGATIVE STUFF, PORE THROUGH TONS OF PAPER AND RECORDS AND DO SOME INVESTIGATIVE STUFF.

WHAT'S THE "STAR TRIBUNE" USING A.I.

FOR RIGHT NOW?

>> JUST LIKE A LOT OF DIFFERENT NEWS ROOMS ACROSS THE COUNTRY, WE'RE TRYING TO FIGURE IT OUT AS WELL, RIGHT?

WHERE IT HELPS US AS A TOOL.

THE WAY I REALLY BELIEVE ABOUT A.I.

IS, IT IS A TOOL, RIGHT?

AND TOOLS SOLVE PROBLEMS FOR US.

A LOT OF THE PROBLEMS WE HAVE EVERY SINGLE DAY, IT'S NOT NECESSARILY UNIQUE TO A NEWS ROOM, BUT WE CAN AUGMENT.

SO ONE THING WE DID, AND -- FOR THE STATE FAIR, IF YOU ARE A PERSON THAT'S NEVER BEEN TO THE STATE FAIR, IT'S A VERY OVERWHELMING EXPERIENCE.

THERE'S OVER 300 DIFFERENT VENDORS.

ALL THESE DIFFERENT TIMES OF FOOD.

I KNOW FOLKS WHO LIVE IN MINNESOTA FOR A LONG TIME, THEY HAVE THEIR GO-TOS.

BUT IF YOU'RE VISITING FROM OUT OF TOWN, HOW DO YOU KNOW WHERE TO GO?

AND TO ME, THAT'S A USER PROBLEM I WANT TO SOY.

SO WE BUILT A THING CALLED STRIB FAIR BOT.

GENERALLY WHAT YOU'RE INTERESTED IN.

YOU WANT SOMETHING SWEET, NOT TOO SALTY.

YOU DON'T KNOW THE VENDOR.

TYPE IT IN AND USING A.I.

AND OUR FOOD AND CULTURE TEAM AND THEIR EXPERTISE AND THEIR DEPTH OF EXPERTISE, IT TELLS YOU WHERE TO GO.

>> Eric: BROADLY SPEAKING, DOES THE DECISION MAKING COME FROM A HUMAN BEING YET OR IS THAT STILL AN A.I.

GENERATED DECISION ON WHAT GOES ON, WHAT DOESN'T GO OUT IN THE PAPER?

>> WELL, FOR THE BOT ITSELF, RIGHT, STRIB FAIR BOT, IT IS THE EXPERTISE OF OUR NEWS ROOM AND WE USE A.I.

TO AUGMENT THAT.

>> Eric: SO THERE IS A HUMAN ELEMENT?

>> ABSOLUTELY.

AND WE HAVE SO MUCH DEPTH OF KNOWLEDGE THERE.

FOR THIS BOT, WE HAVE CLASSICS.

IF YOU'RE FROM OUT OF TOWN, IF YOU'RE FROM TEXAS OR WISCONSIN OR NEW YORK, YOU DON'T KNOW WHAT THE CLASSICS ARE NECESSARILY.

BUT USING OUR EXPERTISE, WE'RE ABLE TO USE A.I.

TO AUGMENT THAT.

>> Cathy: AS YOU KNOW, FRANK, THE INTERNET IS FILLING UP WITH A LOT OF A.I.

GENERATED SLOP.

AND DO YOU FIND THAT THERE WILL STILL BE VALUE IN CONTENT WRITTEN Y HUMANS?

>> 14-7BD%.

THE WAY I SEE IT TOO RIGHT NOW, 100%, THE WORK THAT ALL JOURNALISTS HAVE TO DO WITH BUILD A DIRECT RELATIONSHIP WITH AUDIENCE IS MORE IMPORTANT THAN EVER.

SLOP WILL ALWAYS BE THERE.

IT'S ALWAYS BEEN THERE.

BUT I THINK MAY BUT I THINK MA MAY BUT I THINK MA MA MAKING SURE TT WE STAND OUT ABOVE IT IS GOING TO BE MORE IMPORTANT.

>> Eric: IMPACT ON JOBS IN THE NEWS BUSINESS?

>> I THINK IT'S NOT NECESSARILY UNIQUE.

I THINK IT'S A GREAT OPPORTUNITY TO -- I THINK A LOT OF THE WORK THAT A.I.

WILL REPLACE WILL BE THINGS THAT ALLOW PEOPLE TO DO OTHER TYPES OF WORK.

I KNOW A LOT OF THE TOOLS THAT YOU PROBABLY HEARD ABOUT IN CALIFORNIA, IT'S ABOUT KIND OF THE WORK OF, WHEN YOU GET A LOT OF INFORMATION, HOW DO YOU ACTUALLY DISTILL THROUGH IT?

TOOLS SOLVE PROBLEMS FOR IT.

A PROBLEM THAT A LOT F JOURNALISTS HAVE IS GETTING THROUGH THAT INFORMATION.

HUNDREDS OF PAGES OF PAPERWORK.

DIFFERENT NAMES.

HOW DO YOU PIECE THAT ALL TOGETHER?

AND A.I.

IS REALLY GOING TO BE ABLE TO AUGMENT THAT.

>> Cathy: OF COURSE YOU ARE WORKING FOR THE STATE'S LARGEST NEWSPAPER, AND THERE ARE SO MANY SMALLER -- WELL, THERE'S STILL SOME SMALL OUTLETS OUT THERE AND BLESS THEM FOR DOING THE WORK THAT THEY'RE DOING.

IS THERE A TOOL OUT THERE THAT CAN HELP YOUR FOLKS DO THEIR WORK IF -- YOUR REGIONAL REPORTERS, INSTEAD OF ATTENDING EVERY CITY COUNCIL MEETING?

IS THERE AN A.I.

TOOL THAT CAN SYNTHESIZE SOME OF THESE SMALL MEETINGS, COUNTY BOARD MEETINGS, AND THEN JUST POINT OUT TO THE REPORTER, HEY, THERE'S A STORY HERE?

DOES THAT MAKE SENSE?

>> 100%.

AND I SAY ABSOLUTELY, RIGHT?

THAT'S A PROBLEM THAT A LOT OF JOURNALISTS FACE, A LOT OF DIFFERENT COMMUNITIES FACE.

AND I'VE CONSULTED WITH A LOT OF DIFFERENT STARTUPS ACROSS THE COUNTRY THAT ARE REALLY INTERESTED IN THIS SPACE.

THERE ARE ALSO SOME OFF THE SHELF TOOLS AVAILABLE NOW FOR THAT.

THEY LISTEN TO THE RECORDING, THEY'RE ABLE TO TRANS DESCRIBE IT AND QUERY THAT INFORMATION.

I USE IT A LOT IN MY PERSONAL LIFE BUT ALSO MY WORK LIFE AND JUST MAKING SURE I HAVE THE INFORMATION I NEED.

>> Eric: FRANK, THANKS FOR COMING OVER.

APPRECIATE IT.