A month ago, I started throwing the news into AI systems. I realized this was an interesting way to curate and analyze current events. Below, I will walk you through 3 methods to use news content with AI.

Method 1: Free form interpretation - using news from a range of categories, e.g., sports, entertainment, city, local events, etc.

Pick one or two or more categories of news and put them through the AI system, and ask questions through these articles. This is a broad approach; you might not be able to anchor on an angle at the beginning, maybe not even at all, but it would still provide you with an interesting perspective if you keep going and asking open-ended questions.

The process is fluid, allowing you to refine questions as patterns emerge. When you are finished, ask the AI to summarize the points. If you are a journalist, consider utilizing the stream of consciousness method as you curate the questions to the AI or draft an article as you curate the information. Digital marketers and analysts could also find this resourceful.

E.g., what unexpected insights can you draw from combining this sports report with this entertainment news piece?

Method 2: Specific interpretation– specific items from the news - business, world events, financial news, etc. By curating relevant articles and asking focused questions, you can find actionable data or uncover nuanced perspectives. This approach is structured, ensuring your analysis aligns with your goals.

Directed query  – ask specific questions from the AI as you curate the questions and information for issues that matter to you. This method is ideal for staying ahead of fast-moving stories, whether you’re a journalist covering a developing crisis or a marketer responding to a viral trend.

By curating news as it unfolds and crafting specific AI prompts, you can gain real-time insights to inform your work. This approach ensures you’re proactive and well-informed and responding in real-time to – people, organizations, and events.

E.g., analyze these world event stories and identify potential impacts on global trade.

Method 3: Satire - I don’t read https://theonion.com/, but I'm familiar with it. Using absurdity and fake news, you could harness interesting angles from this bizarre content. If you are a writer or curious, pass this type of content through the AI system with questions, or you could riff off the AI with jokes and see what it provides you back as a response. This approach can uncover unexpected insights, curate comedic content, or explore societal trends through a lens of absurdity. While I haven’t tried this myself, this could lead to unexpected results, possibilities are high that you might end up with something quite on the left field.

E.g., analyze the societal implications of this satirical headline.

I hope this has been informative to provide you with insight into using this method to research or ideate, etc. I have another technique coming up and hope to test it out in a live environment with participants. I would be able to provide you with a better overview of how it went and some of the takeaways. If I am unable to conduct this with real participants, I will still write up an article.