Startups Bank On Artificial Intelligence to Help Fill News Deserts

Who is covering your local school board meeting? It could be a computer algorithm.

As local newspapers continue to struggle financially, some startups are looking to artificial intelligence to help report on local news.

In the past few years, investors have funneled millions of dollars into companies such as Knowhere News, News Break and Hoodline that have created technology designed to automate parts of the newsgathering process. The services are primarily aimed at communities where plummeting print advertising revenue has forced local news outlets to shrink or close down.