OpenAI, WAN-IFRA, and the Association of Independent Regional Press Publishers of Ukraine (AIRPPU) have announced a joint initiative to support Ukrainian news publishers in building practical AI capabilities. The programme, developed during continued conflict, aims to help independent news organisations use AI to strengthen sustainability, efficiency, and resilience.

The initiative has two components. The Newsroom AI Masterclass Series, which began August 5, 2026, brings together international experts to share practical knowledge on editorial workflows, audience engagement, product development, revenue generation, organizational change, and responsible AI adoption. The Newsroom AI Catalyst, launching September 17, 2026, provides hands-on support to ten participating Ukrainian news organizations as they identify high-impact use cases, develop implementation roadmaps, and pilot AI-enabled solutions. All participants receive credits to OpenAI’s API for building bespoke newsroom solutions.

The programme builds on WAN-IFRA’s existing work supporting AI adoption in news organizations and OpenAI’s ongoing partnerships with news organizations globally.