The Tarbell Fellowship is a one-year program for journalists interested in covering artificial intelligence. Fellows secure a nine-month placement at a major newsroom, participate in a 10-week course covering AI and journalism fundamentals, and attend a weeklong journalism summit in the San Francisco Bay Area. Host newsrooms in 2025 included Bloomberg, the Guardian, MIT Technology Review, Time Magazine, and many other leading outlets.
The Tarbell Fellowship provides a stipend of $60,000 to $80,000 to support placements for early-career fellows, and $90,000 to $110,000 for Senior Fellows (with 5 or more years of experience in journalism or AI).
The program incorporates expert speakers, feedback and mentorship from experienced journalists, and networking events with leading AI reporters. Upon completion of the fellowship, we expect fellows to bring their AI knowledge to major newsrooms and publications around the globe.
Applications for the 2026 Tarbell Fellowship are open until Jan. 7, 2026.
The 2026 Tarbell Fellowship will run from June 8, 2026 to May 31, 2027. See below for a detailed timeline.
2025 placements included:
Why
Journalism will play a crucial role as society navigates the development and deployment of advanced AI. Tarbell is committed to supporting independent journalism that demystifies the debates around this technology, holds the companies and people building it accountable, and fosters the discourse necessary to chart a path that benefits society.
As AI models grow more sophisticated, many experts fear they could aid terrorists in unleashing new pandemics, empower malicious actors to carry out devastating cyberattacks, or further enable authoritarian regimes to tighten their grip on society.
With the Tarbell Fellowship, we’re creating a community of expert journalists to lead the public debate on AI and hold major AI companies accountable to society. You can read Tarbell’s full mission statement here.
Applications open
Nov. 12, 2025 to
Jan. 7, 2026
Fellows selected
April, 2026
AI Journalism Fundamentals
June 8 to Aug. 14, 2026
Bay Area
Summit
Aug. 17 to 21, 2026
Placement
September, 2026 to
May, 2027
How it works
Newsroom placement. Fellows are fully embedded as reporters within a newsroom for nine months. Placement outlets for 2025 included Bloomberg, the Guardian, NBC News, Time Magazine, The Verge, and many others.
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. Journalism is a highly competitive industry, and we expect fellows to be completely focused on succeeding.
International. The fellowship is open to rising journalism talent from around the globe. Some placements require the right to work in the U.K. or the U.S., and in some cases we can support fellows in acquiring visas.
Senior Fellowship. Candidates with more than five years of full-time work experience in either journalism or AI are eligible for positions as Senior Fellows. These positions have a stipend of $90,000 to $110,000 dependent on location and will require an additional time commitment of approximately five hours per week during the 10-week AI Journalism Fundamentals training period to assist with mentorship and workshops.
Write AI stories that matter
What we offer
Placement. Fellows secure a nine-month placement at a major newsroom covering artificial intelligence. Placement details vary by outlet.
Stipend. Fellows receive stipends of $60,000 to $80,000, depending on location, for the duration of their placement. Stipends for Senior Fellows (with five or more years of experience in journalism or AI) are $90,000 to $110,000.
AI Journalism Fundamentals. Prior to placements, fellows complete a 10-week program on AI and journalism fundamentals. This remote program requires a full-time commitment and includes a custom curriculum, guest lectures, and graded assignments.
Fellowship Summit. Fellows attend a weeklong summit in the San Francisco Bay Area before starting their placements. This will be an intensive week of guest speakers, workshops and networking events. Travel and accommodation costs will be fully covered.
Cultivating the next generation of AI journalists.
“The Tarbell Fellowship has been a turning point in my career...I’m grateful for the doors it has opened and the confidence it has given me to pursue ambitious reporting.”
Agnee Ghosh, Bloomberg
Passionate about journalism. Previous newsroom experience (including at student newspapers) is desirable but not necessary.
AI expertise. A deep interest in artificial intelligence and its effects on society. Many fellows will have experience working in tech journalism, machine learning research, or AI governance.
Excellent writing skills. A creative approach to storytelling combined with the ability to quickly get to the heart of a new topic. Fellows must be able to produce compelling copy under tight deadlines.
Relentless and self-motivated. The ability to doggedly pursue your goals and persevere in the face of adversity. Journalists are frequently required to cold email and interview people they have never met. Fellows must be willing to work hard and be capable of withstanding repeated rejection.
Open-minded. The desire to understand the truth of any given story, even when it conflicts with prior beliefs. Fellows must be open to criticism and recognizing ways they can improve their writing and thinking.
If you think you have what it takes, but don't meet every single point above, please apply and let us know how you believe you can bring your unique skills to the world of journalism.
Who we look for
Speakers
Kevin Roose
Tech columnist, New York Times
How to apply
Our application process consists of multiple stages. The further you get, the more time we’ll ask you to invest.
01
Application and Writing Samples
(<60 minutes)
Nov. 12, 2025 to Jan. 7 2026
Complete our application form. Include your CV, answer some short questions and provide one to three writing samples.
02
Work Test (2-4 hours)
Late January to early February, 2026
Complete a two- to three-hour work task designed to test your ability to excel in a newsroom covering AI.
03
Interviews
(2-4 hours)
March, 2026
Complete a 1-hour interview with a member of the Tarbell team and 1-3 interviews with potential placement organizations.
Asia
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Monday, Nov. 17, 9 a.m. to 10 a.m. GMT / 2:30 p.m. to 3:30 p.m. India Standard Time / 5 p.m. to 6 p.m. China Standard Time
Europe and Africa
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Monday, Nov. 17, 1 p.m. to 2 p.m. GMT / 3 p.m. to 4 p.m. South Africa Standard Time / 6:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. India Standard Time
Americas East Coast
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Monday, Nov. 24, 6 p.m. to 7 p.m. GMT / 1 p.m. to 2 p.m. Eastern Standard Time / 10 a.m. to 11 a.m. Pacific Standard Time
Pacific and Americas West Coast
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Monday, Nov. 24, 11 p.m. to 12 a.m. GMT / 3 p.m. to 4 p.m. Pacific Standard Time / Tuesday, Nov. 25, 10 a.m. to 11 a.m. Australian Eastern Daylight Time