At UBC Journalism, the conversation surrounding generative AI has moved beyond the simple choice of all in or not at all.
In JRNL 520K, students took a new one-and-a-half-credit, six-week intensive graduate course in term 2 that treated AI not just as a tool but as a major change in how information is created and organized.
The course, led by Dr. Alfred Hermida, used a hands-on approach that focused on exploration, experimentation, and ethical reflection.
“In the course, we consider AI as a catalyst for creativity rather than simply as a threat, so students can ask questions about what’s possible, meaningful and ethical in journalism,” said Hermida.
Human-in-the-loop
The course helped students move from basic know-how to thoughtful stewardship. It equipped them to work in a fast-changing environment where technology often moves faster than newsroom standards.
The course was taught by Alfred Hermida (Photo: Huma Javeed)
The human-in-the-loop idea was central, keeping the journalist at the centre of every task. Students used AI to speed up research and surface sources, but confirmed all information through their own reporting.
“There’s so much that I admire about this course, but its centring of journalists’ labour and control over what they create is what appeals to me the most,” said Dr. Kamal Al-Solaylee, JWAM director.
“Placing human interaction and thorough fact-checking into the heart of AI use in journalism is core to the school’s mission of graduating students who are both tech-savvy and tech-critical.”
The lessons emphasized that while AI is a rational machine capable of pattern-based outputs, it is not a logical or truth-seeking entity.
“The course isn’t designed to have AI do the work for you,” explained Hermida. “It focused on understanding what generative AI is, its limitations, and why it produces certain answers.”
“We want to understand how AI can be used as a partner for brainstorming, as a research assistant, or as a critical editor.”
Hands-on approach
Students tested AI’s boundaries through hands-on exercises, observing its errors and how answers shift depending on the user.
“This class functioned as an AI laboratory, facilitating discussions and education regarding the ethical considerations surrounding AI,” said MJ student Nayeli Martin del Campo Esquivez.
“It was an introduction to the application of this technology and aimed to shift the prevailing paradigm regarding the use of these applications within journalism.”
“As a journalism student studying AI in journalism, I see it less as a threat and more as a shift in how journalists work”
In one class, students investigated how to use AI to surface and research potential story ideas, while another class taught them how to create infographics.
They explored how AI could develop new approaches to journalism, such as interviewing with digital AI replicas of public figures, or telling stories as haikus, a rap battle, or a superhero movie trailer.
“As a journalism student studying AI in journalism, I see it less as a threat and more as a shift in how journalists work,” said MJ student Qurrat Ul Ain. “The real challenge is learning how to use these tools responsibly while protecting accuracy, transparency, and public trust.”
“AI is a powerful tool, but not a substitute for journalists. It can assist with analysis and efficiency, but accountability, context, and critical thinking still come from the reporter.”
AI and power
The course addressed key social and ethical issues in AI, from algorithmic bias to hallucinations, in which systems generate made-up answers.
“The journalist provides the intent, constraints, and final editorial validation, ensuring the technology serves the story rather than dictating it.”
In one class, students examined how AI platforms create new infrastructures for information and knowledge, often trained on Global North data, which can reinforce existing power structures and marginalize diverse voices.
“We need to understand how AI structures information and draws knowledge from specific sources,” stressed Hermida.
The course reflects JWAM’s role as an incubator for innovative media practice. By combining hands-on experimentation with critical theory, the program prepares MJ students to enter a newsroom as tech-literate reporters and reflective practitioners capable of assessing the AI tools they use.
JRNL 520K ensured that human editorial judgment remains at the heart of the story as journalism faces significant shifts in communication and politics.
“Everything AI creates starts with the human,” said Hermida. “The journalist provides the intent, constraints, and final editorial validation, ensuring the technology serves the story rather than dictating it.”
