Alex Mahadevan

Alex Mahadevan is a prominent figure in digital media literacy and an educator focused on combating misinformation in the information landscape. He serves as director of MediaWise, Poynter's digital media literacy project that educates people of all ages on identifying misinformation online. Mahadevan is also on faculty at the Poynter Institute, where he leads generative artificial intelligence initiatives. He holds both a BS and an MS from Florida State University.

As director, Mahadevan oversees program and curriculum development, research, and editorial content for MediaWise, which has reached more than 80 million people in 12 countries. He also co-leads the Empowering Diverse Digital Citizens Lab at Stanford University, which studies media literacy interventions on platforms such as TikTok and YouTube. Mahadevan has taught media literacy to thousands of middle and high school students, created curricula for first-time voters, and trained hundreds of international journalists in verification and digital investigative tools.

Before becoming director at MediaWise, Mahadevan served as program manager, overseeing the launch of initiatives for college students and older adults. Prior to joining Poynter, he worked as a data journalist at the personal finance startup The Penny Hoarder and served as news innovation editor at Observer Media Group. This background in data journalism and audience development informs his approach to understanding how information spreads and how newsrooms can better serve the public.

Mahadevan is recognized for his expertise at the intersection of artificial intelligence and journalism. He writes about the use of generative AI models in journalism and their potential to spread misinformation, and co-authored Poynter's AI ethics guide. He led Poynter's Summits on AI, Ethics and Journalism and developed its online AI certificate course. Mahadevan also leads Poynter's AI Steering Committee and conducts workshops on emerging technologies, verification, and open-source intelligence. His participation at major industry events, including SXSW and the Online News Association conference, highlights his role as a leading authority on media literacy, fact-checking, and the responsible use of technology in journalism.