9:36 am - April 14, 2026
- CNN brings in Chris Wiggins to oversee AI and machine learning efforts across the company
- Wiggins, a New York Times veteran, will focus on enhancing advertising, subscriptions, and editorial workflows
- The move signals CNN’s strategy to deepen AI integration in its digital transformation efforts
CNN has appointed Chris Wiggins, the New York Times veteran who has led that paper’s data science work for more than a decade, to a newly created post overseeing machine learning and AI science.
The move was disclosed in an internal memo to staff on Monday.
Wiggins will supervise efforts to broaden the use of AI and machine learning across the company, with a remit that includes advertising, subscription revenue, personalised experiences and support for editorial decision-making in coverage and programming. CNN said the work would be carried out by engineers and data scientists already handling related projects, now brought together under one leadership structure.
Wiggins will join CNN’s Digital Products and Services division and be based in New York. He will report to Kendell Timmers, the network’s senior vice-president of data analytics, science and insights, who herself previously held a similar senior data role at the New York Times before joining CNN in 2024.
At the Times, Wiggins became chief data scientist in 2013, helping to shape the company’s early use of machine learning in media. The newspaper has previously said his work there included efforts to improve digital paywall performance, build recommendation systems that balanced editorial judgement with algorithmic optimisation, and develop ad products such as BrandMatch.
His appointment also reflects CNN’s wider push to reposition itself as a stronger digital business, with a focus on streaming, mobile and lifestyle products. The company has recently added several senior executives in adjacent roles, including Ashley Nutter from Amazon’s Twitch advertising business and Sam Felix, who previously worked on platform strategy and partnerships at the Times.
Alongside his media work, Wiggins is an associate professor of applied mathematics at Columbia University. He holds a physics degree from Columbia College and a doctorate in theoretical physics from Princeton University.
Source: Noah Wire Services
- https://variety.com/2026/tv/news/cnn-chris-wiggins-head-ai-machine-learning-1236720466/ – Please view link – unable to able to access data
- https://www.nytimes.com/2014/02/02/business/media/why-the-new-york-times-hired-a-biology-researcher-as-its-chief-data-scientist.html – In this article, Chris Wiggins, the New York Times’ Chief Data Scientist, discusses the importance of machine learning in understanding audience engagement and content navigation. He draws parallels between the challenges faced by biology researchers in the 1990s and the media industry’s current data-driven landscape, emphasizing the need for data scientists to reframe real-world questions as machine learning tasks.
- https://www.nytimes.com/2014/01/31/business/media/ny-times-taps-prof-wiggins-as-chief-data-scientist.html – This piece announces Chris Wiggins’ appointment as the Chief Data Scientist at The New York Times. Wiggins, an associate professor at Columbia University, is tasked with leading the development of a machine learning group to analyze content and reader interactions, aiming to enhance the newspaper’s understanding of its audience.
- https://www.nytimes.com/2026/04/13/business/media/cnn-chris-wiggins-head-ai-machine-learning.html – CNN has appointed Chris Wiggins, former Chief Data Scientist at The New York Times, as its head of machine learning and AI science. In this role, Wiggins will lead a team to optimize the use of machine learning and artificial intelligence across the company, focusing on areas such as advertising, subscriber revenue, and personalized user experiences.
- https://www.nytimes.com/2026/04/13/business/media/cnn-chris-wiggins-head-ai-machine-learning.html – CNN has appointed Chris Wiggins, former Chief Data Scientist at The New York Times, as its head of machine learning and AI science. In this role, Wiggins will lead a team to optimize the use of machine learning and artificial intelligence across the company, focusing on areas such as advertising, subscriber revenue, and personalized user experiences.
- https://www.nytimes.com/2026/04/13/business/media/cnn-chris-wiggins-head-ai-machine-learning.html – CNN has appointed Chris Wiggins, former Chief Data Scientist at The New York Times, as its head of machine learning and AI science. In this role, Wiggins will lead a team to optimize the use of machine learning and artificial intelligence across the company, focusing on areas such as advertising, subscriber revenue, and personalized user experiences.
- https://www.nytimes.com/2026/04/13/business/media/cnn-chris-wiggins-head-ai-machine-learning.html – CNN has appointed Chris Wiggins, former Chief Data Scientist at The New York Times, as its head of machine learning and AI science. In this role, Wiggins will lead a team to optimize the use of machine learning and artificial intelligence across the company, focusing on areas such as advertising, subscriber revenue, and personalized user experiences.
Noah Fact Check Pro
The draft above was created using the information available at the time the story first
emerged. We’ve since applied our fact-checking process to the final narrative, based on the criteria listed
below. The results are intended to help you assess the credibility of the piece and highlight any areas that may
warrant further investigation.
Freshness check
Score:
8
Notes:
The news of Chris Wiggins’ appointment was reported on April 13, 2026, with the earliest known publication date being April 13, 2026. ([tvnewscheck.com](https://tvnewscheck.com/journalism/article/cnn-hires-new-york-times-chief-data-scientist-chris-wiggins-to-head-ai-team/?utm_source=openai)) The Variety article, dated April 13, 2026, is the primary source. ([tribunecontentagency.com](https://tribunecontentagency.com/article/cnn-hires-new-york-times-chief-data-scientist-chris-wiggins-to-head-ai-team/?utm_source=openai)) No earlier versions with differing figures, dates, or quotes were found. The narrative appears original and not recycled from low-quality sites or clickbait networks. ([letsdatascience.com](https://letsdatascience.com/news/cnn-appoints-chris-wiggins-to-lead-ai-team-1f509f2a?utm_source=openai))
Quotes check
Score:
7
Notes:
The article includes direct quotes attributed to CNN’s internal memo and statements from Chris Wiggins. However, these quotes cannot be independently verified through external sources. ([tvnewscheck.com](https://tvnewscheck.com/journalism/article/cnn-hires-new-york-times-chief-data-scientist-chris-wiggins-to-head-ai-team/?utm_source=openai)) The lack of independent verification raises concerns about the authenticity of the quotes. ([letsdatascience.com](https://letsdatascience.com/news/cnn-appoints-chris-wiggins-to-lead-ai-team-1f509f2a?utm_source=openai))
Source reliability
Score:
6
Notes:
The primary source is Variety, a reputable entertainment news outlet. ([tribunecontentagency.com](https://tribunecontentagency.com/article/cnn-hires-new-york-times-chief-data-scientist-chris-wiggins-to-head-ai-team/?utm_source=openai)) However, the article is behind a paywall, limiting access to the full content. ([tvnewscheck.com](https://tvnewscheck.com/journalism/article/cnn-hires-new-york-times-chief-data-scientist-chris-wiggins-to-head-ai-team/?utm_source=openai)) Other sources, such as Let’s Data Science, provide summaries but may lack the same editorial standards. ([letsdatascience.com](https://letsdatascience.com/news/cnn-appoints-chris-wiggins-to-lead-ai-team-1f509f2a?utm_source=openai))
Plausibility check
Score:
8
Notes:
The appointment of Chris Wiggins, former Chief Data Scientist at The New York Times, to lead CNN’s AI team aligns with industry trends of media companies enhancing their AI capabilities. ([tvnewscheck.com](https://tvnewscheck.com/journalism/article/cnn-hires-new-york-times-chief-data-scientist-chris-wiggins-to-head-ai-team/?utm_source=openai)) The details about his previous work at The New York Times and his academic background at Columbia University and Princeton University are consistent with known information. ([en.wikipedia.org](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chris_Wiggins_%28data_scientist%29?utm_source=openai))
Overall assessment
Verdict (FAIL, OPEN, PASS): FAIL
Confidence (LOW, MEDIUM, HIGH): MEDIUM
Summary:
The article reports on Chris Wiggins’ appointment at CNN, with details consistent with known information. However, the reliance on a paywalled source and the inability to independently verify direct quotes raise concerns about the content’s reliability. ([tvnewscheck.com](https://tvnewscheck.com/journalism/article/cnn-hires-new-york-times-chief-data-scientist-chris-wiggins-to-head-ai-team/?utm_source=openai))
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