The AI Video Lab Responds to the Growth in Audiovisual Consumption
Miami (May 21, 2026) — The Inter-American Press Association (IAPA), with support from the Google News Initiative (GNI), announces the launch of the AI Video Lab, a regional program designed to make video a strategic pillar for audience growth, editorial innovation, and the economic sustainability of media outlets in Latin America.
The program will be developed and implemented by the consulting firm MarkTube and arises in response to the exponential growth of audiovisual consumption in Latin America, a trend that is redefining the relationship between audiences and news brands.
The AI Video Lab will target 40 media outlets to be selected from Bolivia, Costa Rica, Ecuador, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Nicaragua, Panama, Paraguay, the Dominican Republic, and Venezuela.
Applications for this program will be open until Saturday, June 6, via this form.
With this new step, the IAPA and the Google News Initiative are building on more than four years of joint work focused on providing media outlets with specialized training, access to technology, strategic mentoring, and implementation funds to address the challenges of a constantly evolving media ecosystem.
Media outlets need to adapt their narratives, diversify formats, and develop sustainable models capable of integrating video as a central part of their editorial and commercial strategy.
The AI Video Lab will combine training programs, personalized consulting, and implementation funding under a scalable methodology designed to support newsrooms from initial training through the development of sustainable audiovisual products.
During the first phase, media organizations will participate in a video academy that will include asynchronous sessions, masterclasses, and feedback labs focused on developing narrative, strategic, and technical skills. Subsequently, each organization will work individually with MarkTube specialists to design audiovisual prototypes and growth models tailored to their needs and audiences.
In a third phase, 20 selected media outlets will have access to funding of up to $25,000 to implement projects focused on growth on YouTube, the development and launch of audiovisual products, or artificial intelligence solutions applied to video.
The program places special emphasis on two key areas: strengthening audiences and audiovisual narratives, and building resilient business models capable of monetizing content through advertising, branded content, sponsorships, and direct revenue, while optimizing operating costs through the use of artificial intelligence.
The schedule calls for the announcement of the selected media outlets during the week of June 8. The training phase will take place between June and August; the specialized consulting process will occur in August; and the implementation and acceleration phase will run from October to December 2026.
The initiative represents the continuation and evolution of the successful AI Product Lab, a program that concluded in April after driving the development of artificial intelligence solutions in more than 20 Latin American media outlets.
The IAPA is a non-profit organization dedicated to defending and promoting freedom of the press and expression in the Americas. It comprises more than 1,300 publications from the western hemisphere and is based in Miami, Florida, United States.