The Inter American Press Association (IAPA), with the support of Google News Initiative (GNI), announced the launch of AI Video Lab 2026 (AIVL), a regional initiative aimed at accelerating the audiovisual transformation of the media through the strategic use of video and artificial intelligence.
After a rigorous selection process, which evaluated dozens of highly technically complex applications, a total of 41 leading media outlets in Bolivia, Costa Rica, Ecuador, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Nicaragua, Panama, Paraguay, the Dominican Republic and Venezuela were selected to participate in the program.
“We are excited to celebrate our fourth collaboration with the IAPA to continue supporting the region’s media in their digital transformation. In this edition we have opted for video, convinced that it is the format with the greatest dynamism and current growth, offering a strategic opportunity to connect with new audiences,” said Alejandra Brambila, News Partner Manager at Google.
“This program offers newsrooms concrete tools to strengthen their audiovisual capabilities, expand their audiences and explore new opportunities for sustainable growth. We appreciate the commitment of the Google News Initiative and the work of Marktube to make this initiative possible that will contribute to the development of quality journalism in Latin America,” said Carlos Lauría, executive director of the IAPA.
Selected organizations will participate in an intensive acceleration program structured in three stages: specialized training, personalized consultancies and access to strategic resources to design and implement audiovisual transformation and digital innovation projects.
The program seeks to add to the evolution of digital narrative languages and the ethical and efficient adoption of artificial intelligence in video production, editing and distribution workflows.
This program not only aims to provide newsrooms in 11 countries with higher-level operational capabilities, but also seeks to safeguard the integrity of the journalistic profession by strategically integrating emerging technologies.
The design and operational execution of the program are carried out by Marktube Group, a firm specialized in digital acceleration.
The entity has configured a robust curriculum that includes everything from the technical mastery of video platforms and new narrative trends, to the automation and implementation of AI solutions applied to audiovisual efficiency.
“The true value of this program lies in the combination of rigorous execution and access to the most advanced knowledge available in the industry. We have made sure to bring in top-level experts, complemented with a methodology and detailed monitoring of each medium to guarantee that the theory is translated into a real impact for the press in Latin America,” highlighted Ezequiel Arbusti, CEO of Marktube Group.
The activities of AI Video Lab 2026 will officially begin this week, launching a work plan that will culminate in December of this year with the presentation of the developed projects.
Selected
The selected media are Listín Diario, El Nuevo Diario and Diario Libre of the Dominican Republic; 100% News (Nicaragua); ABC (Paraguay); Ocote Agency (Guatemala); Digital Lobbying (Bolivia); Confidential (Nicaragua); CR Hoy (Costa Rica); Criterion (Honduras); El Heraldo Newspaper (Honduras); Diario Expreso (Ecuador); Divergent (Nicaragua); Ecuavisa (Ecuador); Cocuyo Effect (Venezuela); El Comercio (Ecuador); El Diario (Bolivia); El Nacional (Paraguay); El Nacional (Venezuela); The Zulia Regional (Venezuela); Elsalvador.com (El Salvador); The Universe (Ecuador); Focos (El Salvador); Extra Group (Costa Rica); La Hora (Ecuador); La Prensa (Honduras); La Prensa (Nicaragua); La Prensa (Panama); La Nación (Costa Rica); La Prensa Gráfica (El Salvador); The Life of Us (Venezuela); Medcom (Panama); NPY (Paraguay); Free Press (Guatemala); Firstfruits (Ecuador); Factum Magazine (El Salvador); Nómadas Magazine (Bolivia); Ojoconmipisto (Guatemala); Your Note (Honduras); Venevision (Venezuela); Truth with Ink (Bolivia).
