The AI + Documentary Working Group is part of a joint initiative between Co-Creation Studio at MIT Open Doc Lab and WITNESS, a Human Rights Media Organization. Since 2018, we have been exploring the intersections between AI and Documentary / Non-Fiction, through research, publications, speaker series, presentations and advocacy, including submissions to the UN. We critically engage with technologists, documentarians, artists, policy makers, human right advocates and communities around the world to actively examine how AI is changing documentary practice, how AI affects creative integrity, the spread of misinformation, satire, and freedom of expression, and how documentarians can ethically engage with and cover the AI industrial complex.
Now going into its second year, the Working Group is also co-hosted by Archival Producers’ Alliance, and continues to offer monthly meetings to a wider informal membership as part of its programming. The meetings will include speakers, presentations, discussion groups, as well as developing open-sourced resources featuring a database with relevant readings, films, media projects, tools and organizations.
The Fall 2026 meetings will take place on zoom on:
Tuesday September 29, 12-13:30 pm ET
Tuesday October 20, 12-13:30 pm ET
Tuesday November 17, 12-13:30 pm ET
Tuesday December 8, 12-13:30 pm ET
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Some questions we will explore together could include:
- In what ways can documentary practices adapt to the challenges posed by AI, such as deepfakes, personalized and automated content generation, while maintaining and protecting journalistic integrity, public trust and human rights?
- How can documentarians verify and contextualize AI-generated content without undermining creativity or freedom of expression?
- How can documentary filmmakers ensure the authenticity and originality of their work in an era where AI-generated content is prevalent? And what are the ethical and practical strategies to mitigate AI slop in documentary and satirical media?
We are hoping you can share this invite with your community, and that you might join us! Again, please RSVP here, and you will receive zoom links to the meetings as well as occasional news from us.
Working Group co-leads,
Katerina Cizek, Co-Creation Studio
shirin anlen, WITNESS
Rachel Antell, APA
Tabitha Jackson, ODL Fellow
