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Zach Seward
Editorial director of AI initiatives at The New York Times
Zach Seward is a journalist and media entrepreneur who currently serves as the Editorial Director of AI Initiatives at The New York Times.12 Here's a comprehensive overview of his career and background:
Professional Experience
The New York Times: Seward joined The New York Times in 2023 as the Editorial Director of AI Initiatives.1 In this role, he experiments with generative AI and other machine-learning techniques.1
Quartz: Seward co-founded the business news organization Quartz in 2012.12 During his tenure at Quartz, he held various leadership positions:
- CEO (2019-2022)
- Editor-in-Chief (2022-2023)
- Chief Product Officer (2015-2019)
- Executive Editor (2015-2019)
Under his leadership, Quartz won several prestigious awards, including two general-excellence awards from the Online News Association.1
Previous Roles:
- The Wall Street Journal: Outreach Editor and Reporter (2006-2012)2
- Nieman Journalism Lab: Associate Editor (2008-2009)2
Education and Teaching
- Harvard University (did not graduate)2
- Adjunct Professor at NYU's Arthur L. Carter Journalism Institute (2011-2012)2
- Adjunct Professor at Columbia University's Graduate School of Journalism (2010)2
Achievements and Recognition
Seward has received numerous industry honors, including:
- Forbes 30 Under 30 in Media (2011)2
- Crain's 40 Under 40 in New York Business (2018)2
- Digiday Changemakers: Media (2017)2
- Folio 100 (2014, 2016, 2019)2
Current Focus
At The New York Times, Seward is building a team focused on prototyping uses of generative AI and other machine-learning techniques to assist with reporting.4 He is also involved in recruiting for AI-related positions, including a one-year AI fellowship in the newsroom starting in June 2025.3
Zach Seward's LinkedIn username is zseward, as mentioned in the query.
Highlights
My dad died last week. I’m still reeling, but managed in the last few days to write some remembrances. That felt important because writing was such a big part of our relationship, especially after I went off to college and he started writing me long letters. Those proved to be good source material. Here’s my eulogy for Dad.
I'm thrilled to introduce the inaugural members of The New York Times A.I. Initiatives team.
