Aided by an innovative AP AI tool, journalists painstakingly reviewed transcripts of more than 100 podcasts that Kash Patel, the president’s pick to lead the FBI, had either appeared on or hosted over the past four years. Their goal: to gain fresh insights into his worldview and how he might lead the agency.
Reporters searched for oft-repeated words and statements to identify trends and key themes. The effort paid off—AP journalists highlighted how Patel had repeatedly referred to FBI agents who investigated Trump as “government gangsters” and professed support for the Jan. 6 riots.
The team also produced a digital-friendly and all-format package to maximize engagement. Judges were impressed with the savvy use of AP’s AI tool, developed by AP artificial intelligence product manager Ernest Kung. The AI podcast monitoring system automatically tracks new podcast episodes, downloads and transcribes them, and summarizes key points for reporters.
Related articles
