What is the AI, Big Tech and Journalism conference about?

The conference examines how artificial intelligence and major technology corporations are reshaping journalism, media systems and democracy.

Why are journalists concerned about AI?

Journalists are concerned about AI’s impact on newsroom jobs, misinformation, deepfakes, surveillance and the growing influence of Big Tech platforms.

What is cybernetic capitalism?

Cybernetic capitalism refers to economic systems increasingly shaped by data extraction, algorithmic control, automation and digital infrastructure.

How does AI affect democracy?

AI can influence democracy through misinformation, deepfake campaigns, algorithmic amplification and the concentration of information power within major tech companies.

The Liberal Agenda – AI, Big Tech and Journalism JMAD Conference

As AI rapidly reshapes media, politics and public debate, journalists are being forced to confront an uncomfortable reality: the same Big Tech corporations driving automation and surveillance capitalism are now positioning themselves as the gatekeepers of truth itself.

AI, Big Tech and Journalism

As the flyer below suggests, this two-day conference in early September 2026, covers two interrelated themes:

The shaping and exploitation of AI (machine learning, algorithms, inter-computer operability, language models, robotics, ChatGPT) by big tech corporations.
The impact of AI on various forms of journalism and on journalists’ work practices.

Why this conference matters right now

The three keynotes listed are outstanding. Timothy Ström is an expert on the history and business models of big tech, e.g., Meta, Alphabet/Google, Apple, Amazon, Microsoft. He will argue that AI has supercharged previous big tech business models to public detriment. More broadly, he argues that this process is central to the epoch of cybernetic capitalism. Silvia Montaña-Niño from the University of Melbourne is undertaking survey research among Australian journalists on the impact of AI on their newsrooms. Nilesh Christopher from Harvard University researches the spread and impact of AI-deep fakes on election campaigns in India and other countries. From these and other examples of AI-disinformation, Nilesh considers the future of journalism and democracy. Look these keynotes up, they’re really good!
Extended deadline for 31 May 2026.

Register for the conference here.

Keynotes:

Timothy Ström (Arena Magazine, AUS.).
Silvia Montaña-Niño (University of Melbourne).
Nilesh Christopher (Nieman Lab, Harvard University)

Organisers:

Wayne Hope / Merja Myllylahti / Greg Treadwell

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Those wanting to send in an abstract or book tickets go to jmad

AI is reshaping journalism faster than media institutions can respond

Artificial Intelligence (AI), arising out of information-communication infrastructures constitutive of the internet, refers to the inter-connectivities of robotics, machine learning, inter-computer programming, data science and algorithmic processing. Major tech corporations — Alphabet/Google, Meta/Facebook, Apple, Amazon, Microsoft, ByteDance, Alibaba, Tencent — have accumulated relevant technological expertise from acquired AI start-ups to supercharge their business models, economic power, social reach and political influence. Nvidia provides chips, platforms and graphics-processing units for Artificial Intelligence tasks and infrastructures. Journalists of all kinds confront and investigate these developments as AI reshapes their workplaces and livelihoods. With these thoughts in mind, prospective conference participants are invited to present on the following themes. These should be seen as pertinent rather than delimiting: