The Tarbell Fellowship is a one-year program for journalists interested in covering artificial intelligence. Tarbell’s annual fellowship program consists of a three-month training program and a nine-month newsroom placement. Fellows participate in a remote course beginning in June covering AI and journalism fundamentals, come together to attend a weeklong in-person summit, and work at a newsroom from September through May. Host newsrooms in the past have included CBS News, The Bureau of Investigative Journalism, MIT Technology Review, TIME, and many other leading outlets.

What We Offer

• Placement: Fellows are placed as reporters at a newsroom covering artificial intelligence for nine months, with the possibility of extension for an additional year. Host newsrooms in the past have included CBS News, The Bureau of Investigative Journalism, MIT Technology Review, TIME Magazine, and many others.
• Stipend: Salaries for fellows range from $75,000 to $120,000, depending on years of professional experience and the cost of living in the city where the fellowship placement is located. Salaries for senior fellows range from $115,000 to $135,000, depending on the cost of living in the city where the fellowship placement is located. Senior fellowships are awarded to our fellows with the strongest track records of prior achievement and at least 7 years of professional experience.
• AI Journalism Fundamentals and Fellowship Summit: Prior to placements, fellows complete a three-month program on AI and journalism fundamentals. This remote program requires a full-time commitment and includes a custom curriculum, guest lectures, and graded assignments. It culminates in the weeklong in-person summit, an intensive week of guest speakers, workshops and networking events. Travel and accommodation costs are fully covered.

How It Works

• Challenging: Fellows will spend the year building skills and a strong portfolio to accelerate their journalism careers.
• Full-time: The fellowship is a full-time commitment and should not be pursued in tandem with a graduate degree program or other training opportunities.
• Location: This fellowship is primarily geared towards applicants with the right to work in our partner newsrooms, which are based in the U.S., the U.K., and Hong Kong. While we aspire to sponsor visas when we can, we want to be transparent about the fact that this is uncommon and requires the approval of our partner outlets. As of September 2026, our partner newsrooms are based in the following cities: Hong Kong, London, Los Angeles, New York, San Francisco, Seattle, and Washington D.C. This list may change in the coming months.

Who We Look For

• Experience and expertise in either journalism or AI: You might be an expert in AI governance or machine learning research who’s interested in a career in journalism. Or you might be an early- to mid-career journalist who wants to deepen your understanding of artificial intelligence.
• Passionate and interested in both journalism and AI: All fellows must have a deep interest in artificial intelligence and its effects on society, combined with a clear understanding of the value journalism provides and a desire to do the work.
• Excellent writing skills: The ability to quickly get to the heart of a new topic and write about it in a clear, compelling way under tight deadlines.

Relentlessness: The ability to doggedly pursue your goals and persevere in the face of adversity. Journalists are frequently required to cold-call people they have never met. Fellows must be willing to work hard and be capable of withstanding rejection.

• Curiosity and open-mindedness: Journalists pursue the truth, even if it conflicts with their prior beliefs. You should be driven by a genuine desire for understanding and open to criticism.

How To Apply Apply by November 22, 2026. The process is three stages:

• Application and Writing Samples (1-3 hours): Sept. 28, 2026–Nov. 22, 2026. Complete our application form. Include your CV, answer some short questions and provide one to three writing samples.
• Work test (3-5 hours): Late December to early January 2027 Complete a three- to five-hour work task designed to test your ability to excel in a newsroom covering AI.
• Interviews (2-4 hours): January to March 2027 Complete a 1-hour interview with a member of the Tarbell team and 1-3 interviews with potential placement organizations

You can learn more here, and apply here.