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ZDNET Highlights
- Google’s free AI course teaches research, writing, and engagement tools.
- The four-week program covers Gemini, NotebookLM, and Pinpoint in depth.
- Writers, creatives and journalists will receive practical, free training.
We’ve all seen advertising pitches that end with “Act before midnight tonight.” Well, this article describes an opportunity to take a free 4-module course starting next week. So, if you feel like you want to get the learnings on offer, this is one of those act fast moments.
But what is it that I’m suggesting you sign up for?
Syllabus It’s called “Google AI Tools for Journalists: Optimizing Editorial Workflow, Content Creation, and Audience Engagement.” It’s obviously for journalists, but it can also be valuable for bloggers, influencers, teachers, students, YouTubers, or any other communicator.
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The pitch is, “Imagine making your reporting more efficient starting next week. With the free Google Al tool, you can process documents faster, summarize key information, and organize your research so you can focus on telling impactful stories.”
The course is under the auspices of the Knight Center for Journalism, a project of the University of Texas at Austin. The Knight Center offers free or low-cost online training programs in a variety of languages to journalists around the world. That said, you don’t need to be a journalist to take this course.
Next, let’s discuss Google’s involvement. Some of my fellow journalists expressed their concern to me that this would be just another way for Google to sell its wares. I haven’t taken this course yet as it starts next week, but the previous free AI training course I took from Google was surprisingly thorough. Trainers spoke positively not only about Google’s services, but also about the services of its competitors.
Also, let’s not ignore the fact that Gemini is good and Google’s NotebookLM is amazing. If Google’s experts can share more details on how to get value from those tools, it’s probably worth your time. Did I mention it was free?
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So, here’s a quick overview of what you’ll learn in the four modules included in the course prospectus:
- Gain a better understanding of AI and generative AI in general. There will always be a need to ask “What are we talking about?” Introduction section in one of these courses.
- Master effective motivation techniques. I often write about powerful prompting techniques, but I’ve found that it’s worth listening when AI vendors themselves talk about prompting techniques. His deep understanding of his instruments always produces something new.
- Use Pinpoint (a Google tool for analyzing large documents) and NotebookLM to find new ways to process documents and access stories. I haven’t used Pinpoint, so I’m excited to learn more. I use NotebookLM quite regularly. This has proven extremely helpful, and I wouldn’t mind more tips on using it.
- They will also showcase content creation using Gemini Deep Research, Gems, Imagen and VO. I suspect they’ll probably also look into the new generative art tool, Nano Banana. Of course, there are some limitations to what you can use in journalism and education that are created by generative AI, so I hope they discuss those limitations as well.
- This next one really intrigues me. They’ll talk about how you can use news consumer insights and Google Analytics to increase engagement and revenue. Given that we are all fighting an uphill battle against Gemini at the top of search results in Google, this could be interesting.
- And, finally, they will talk about best practices for using devices responsibly and ensuring digital security.
I have already signed up and will take all four modules. As I said, there are areas I have a particular interest in, but I will take all the modules because I can always use reinforcement. The course begins October 20th and runs through November 16th, and is offered in English and Spanish.
Another thing I’m particularly looking forward to is what Google describes as “real media cases that use AI to optimize newsroom time and processes.” I love case studies, so this is very promising.
While the course officially starts on October 20, as soon as you sign up, you’ll get access to the introductory module, which covers some AI basics and shows, “how newsrooms are already using these tools to streamline workflows and save time.”
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It just sounds like a bundle of entertainment. You may also avoid being present during work hours. Let’s sit down with a nice hot cup of coffee (or whatever your beverage of choice is), and power our brains together. Oh, and there’s a participation certificate that we can add to our LinkedIn profile.
How are you? Are you planning to take the free Google AI Tools for Journalists course? Do you think tools like Pinpoint, NotebookLM, and Gemini could make your writing or research more efficient? If you’re not a journalist, do you still see how these AI tools can help you in your work or studies? And what is your opinion on Google’s growing role in AI education? Is it helpful outreach or strategic marketing? Let us know in the comments below.
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