Florent Daudens

Co-Founder @ Mizal.ai

Montreal, Quebec, Canada

About

Recognized voice on how AI is reshaping media, with expertise spanning technology, content, and newsroom leadership. I draw on my experience in AI and journalism (Hugging Face, CBC/Radio-Canada, Le Devoir...) to help international news organizations build AI products, while supporting journalists and creators in developing AI skills. I make AI accessible by cutting through the hype and translating the latest developments into practical applications. I’ve fostered a global journalist community around open-source AI, been featured as an expert in international publications, and am regularly invited to speak at industry events and lead workshops at universities including Columbia, Northwestern, LSE, Oxford, and CUNY. With deep AI expertise and 15+ years managing newsroom digital transformations, I’ve driven innovation, launched new products, and delivered strong growth — while shaping how technology transforms creative work and the future of trusted information.

Experience

  • CEO & Co-Founder at Mizal AI
    Nov 2025 - Present · 8 mos

  • Lecturer at Université de Montréal
    Sep 2016 - Present · 9 yrs 10 mos

    - Teaches digital journalism to graduate students - Trained over a hundred students

  • Press Lead at Hugging Face
    Apr 2024 - Sep 2025 · 1 yr 6 mos

    - Built and grew the Journalists on Hugging Face community to 500+ members worldwide, focused on training and innovation - Recognized for sharing expertise on AI and journalism; developed newsroom AI tools used by hundreds of journalists - Partnered with startups and Big Tech on major AI model releases - Collaborated with engineering teams on frontier open-source AI systems - Led global media outreach to help journalists understand open-source AI, product launches, and research access

  • Coach - AI Journalism Lab at Craig Newmark Graduate School of Journalism at CUNY
    May 2024 - Oct 2024 · 6 mos

    - Coached six experienced journalists in the first cohort of the lab

  • Director, Newsgathering and Programming, International and National News at CBC/Radio-Canada
    Jul 2022 - Mar 2024 · 1 yr 9 mos

    - Oversaw daily editorial coverage - Supervised editorial teams in Montreal, the Parliamentary Bureaus of Quebec and Ottawa, and foreign bureaus - Developed and implemented an artificial intelligence strategy for the News Department - Trained over 100 journalists in the principles of AI, focusing on its integration and application in journalism