2026 Summer AI Creation Video Internship - REMOTE
2026 Summer AI Creation Video Internship – REMOTE
USA TODAY CO. is looking for a detail oriented, curious and platform native intern to join our video team. This role is ideal for someone who understands how service journalism and everyday news travel on social, is excited about AI tools, and wants to help journalists turn stories into high volume shortform video.
You’ll partner with reporters, editors, and producers to build 20–25 short videos per day using tools like Stringr, Wochit and other AI-driven platforms. This is a production and execution role—your strength is translating articles into clear, accurate, on-brand video at scale, especially around consumer explainers, money and finance, weather and safety, policy changes, sports high interest local stories and science/space coverage.
This is a remote internship that can be based in all states except Alaska and Hawaii.
Who can apply:
- College juniors and seniors
- Recent graduates
- Graduate students
Program details:
- Duration: 10 weeks (June 1, 2026 through August 7, 2026)
- Hourly Rate: $18.00
- Hours: 40 hour per week
- Application Deadline: May 8, 2026
What you’ll do:
- Use AI-assisted platforms (Stringr, Wochit, templates and automation) to assemble 20–25 shortform videos per day from existing articles, photos, data and graphics.
- Produce fast, “what does this mean for me?” explainers that clarify topics like Social Security timing, tax refunds, cost-of-living updates, weather alerts, safety guidance, HOA and insurance changes, tax impacts, high interest local stories and science/space events such as ISS visibility and rocket launches.
- Turn reporter and editor briefs into clear video treatments, selecting visuals, text, audio, pacing and formats appropriate for TikTok, Instagram Reels, Facebook, YouTube and other platforms.
- Adapt newsroom content into platform native vertical video, with concise onscreen text and captions that highlight key takeaways and next steps for users.
- Optimize videos for each platform (length, aspect ratio, captions, thumbnails) based on best practices and performance data.
- Ensure every video follows brand guidelines for fonts, colors, lower thirds, captions and overall visual style.
- Program videos on corresponding articles
- Track basic performance metrics for the videos you produce and share quick learnings and examples with the team.
Responsibilities:
- Consistent delivery of 20–25 accurate, on brand videos per day across key service, money, weather, policy, sports, breaking news, high interest and science/space stories.
- Increased use of video on priority coverage, with strong engagement (watch through, saves, shares, clickthrough's).
- Faster turnaround from story assignment to published video on social and owned platforms.
- Positive feedback from newsrooms on clarity, reliability, and collaboration.
Requirements:
- Enrolled in or recently graduated from a journalism program (junior year or beyond preferred)
- A digital first thinker who understands how people consume shortform videos on TikTok, Instagram Reels and YouTube Shorts.
- Comfortable working from clear briefs and producing quick turn, high-volume videos on deadline in a remote environment.
- Curious about AI and automation in news, and eager to learn new tools and workflows.
- Familiar with basic video editing (CapCut, Adobe Premiere, mobile editing apps or similar) and open to template driven, AI assisted production.
- Organized, efficient and able to manage a production queue while communicating clearly about progress and blockers.
- Interested in journalism, service content and storytelling that helps people make informed decisions in their daily lives.
Application Instructions
We are eager to learn more about you and how you fit this role. When you apply, don’t limit your upload to a resume; show us what you’ve done. To do so, put together a single document file that includes the following, in this order:
- Your resume (1–2 pages)
- A cover letter outlining how you would approach the internship and what you hope to gain from the experience.
- Links to 3–6 samples of your work
- Complete your application by May 8, 2026, to be considered.
It is important that these items be assembled into a single document and uploaded in PDF format. Completing these steps will ensure that your application receives the highest consideration.