Alexandra Bruell

The Philadelphia Inquirer hadn’t written much about suburbs like Lower Merion (PA) and Cherry Hill (NJ) for years. Now it is revisiting those communities—with an assist from AI. In 2025, the Inquirer launched newsletters in four locations, amassing more than 50,000 free subscriptions. Reporters are using artificial-intelligence tools to scan community meetings for topics that may prompt news, such as a zoning issue related to an ICE detention facility and a proposal for a new data center.