At a time when many local newsrooms fear artificial intelligence, The Baltimore Times is leaning in. In this episode of Keep It Local, host Ryan Welton talks with Paris Brown — one of Local Media Association’s Digital Innovators of the Year — about how a 40-year-old community paper is using AI, AR and VR to serve its audience in fresh, creative ways.Brown shares how the Times is:Making health coverage more accessible with narrated AI summaries and avatars.Creating immersive AR/VR storytelling experiences like racing alongside legendary Black cyclists.Building trust through partnerships with artists, technologists, and community groups.Exploring new AI tools (Perplexity, ChatGPT, Gemini, Zapier) to streamline workflows.Developing an AI model to process community-submitted stories through a custom style guide.Why It MattersThe Baltimore Times is proving that innovation isn’t reserved for large media companies. By treating AI as a partner, not a threat, the paper shows how small publishers can lead in digital transformation while staying rooted in community trust.🎧 Listen to learn why Paris Brown calls AI “a friend, not a threat,” and what’s next for The Baltimore Times.

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