#3 Too Many Documents, Too Little Time: How A Small Local Newspaper Saved 80% of Research Time with AI. Lars Giske at iTromsø (Polaris Media)
Insight Shapes News1 Huhti 2025

#3 Too Many Documents, Too Little Time: How A Small Local Newspaper Saved 80% of Research Time with AI. Lars Giske at iTromsø (Polaris Media)

How can a small Local Newsroom in Northern Norway take on one of Investigative journalism’s biggest challenges — and win?


In this episode, we talk with Lars Adrian Giske, Head of AI at iTromsø, about how his team built Djinn — the Data Journalism Interface for News Gathering and Notification. This AI-powered tool is transforming how journalists work by surfacing the most newsworthy content from massive piles of public documents.


From document overload to AI-powered discovery, Lars shares:

  • The real problem behind FOIA delays and public archives
  • How Djinn works to identify relevant stories in real time
  • Why involving journalists from day one made all the difference
  • What happened when they scaled the tool across Polaris Media
  • How AI is changing investigative journalism, ethics, and newsroom stress
  • Why the human element will always matter — even in an AI-driven future


Hosted by Nils Ove Håland Riise, this conversation dives deep into the future of data-driven journalism, transparency in media, and the rise of AI in local newsrooms — with real-world results that are nothing short of amazing.


Key Takeaways:

  • Journalists face massive time waste from public document review
  • AI can cut research time by up to 80%
  • Localized AI models increase accuracy
  • Trust, ethics, and collaboration matter more than ever
  • Journalists aren’t being replaced — they’re being empowered
  • The human judgment behind every story is still irreplaceable


Chapters:

00:00 – The Challenge of Document Overload

06:05 – Introducing AI in Journalism

12:02 – Building the DJINN Platform

17:49 – Scaling DJINN Across Newsrooms

23:56 – AI’s Role in Investigative Journalism

30:13 – Impact on Storytelling and Transparency

40:29 – The Role of AI in Journalism

44:31 – Human Element in Journalism

48:43 – Expanding AI Solutions in News

52:07 – Human in the Loop: Balancing AI and Journalism

56:55 – Short-Term Outlook on AI in Journalism

01:01:26 – Future of AI Agents in News

01:04:22 – Ethics and Technology in Journalism

01:08:31 – Reflections on the Journey with AI

01:14:35 – Navigating US Tech Influence on European Journalism


AI in journalism, data-driven journalism, news gathering, investigative journalism, Djinn platform, iTromsø, local news innovation, transparency in media, machine learning, public documents, human element, ethical journalism, AI agents, media innovation, journalism challenges, data-driven news, future of journalism, newsroom AI

🔥 Don’t forget to like, subscribe, and hit the bell for more episodes on AI, journalism, and the future of media.


Where can you reach Lars Adrian Giske:

Email: giske@itromso.no

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lars-adrian-giske-8a277576/


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