Artificial Intelligence Duplicate of Steven Bartlett Hosts Latest Podcast
In the ever-evolving world of technology, AI is making its mark in unexpected places, and podcasting is no exception. Notable podcasts are now using AI for hosting and voice translation, revolutionizing the way we consume audio content.
One such pioneer is Steven Bartlett’s "100 CEOs with Steven Bartlett", produced by FlightStory Studio. This innovative company, co-founded by Bartlett, Georgie Holt, and Christiana Brenton, employs AI to clone Bartlett’s voice and produce a podcast hosted by a virtual version of himself. The studio uses AI tools like Runway, ElevenLabs, and Wondercraft to generate the host voice, storyboard, and even create animated videos, offering a fully AI-produced podcast experience [1].
Another interesting example is Google’s NotebookLM-based podcasts. This AI tool generates podcasts by creating realistic conversations between two AI hosts, synthesizing content from user-provided articles or documents. The podcasts sound highly natural with human-like inflections, and an interactive mode allows listeners to ask questions answered in real-time by the AI hosts. This technology is particularly useful in education for generating topic summaries and review podcasts [2][3].
Platforms like Jellypod also leverage AI audio generators to produce engaging podcasts with synthetic voices indistinguishable from human recordings. These podcasts cover discussions, storytelling, or news with realistic conversational flow [2].
While there are many podcasts about AI, such as "Practical AI: The Capacity for Good" or "AI Today Podcast", these primarily focus on AI topics rather than being produced or hosted by AI [4][5].
In 2023, Spotify launched a pilot of Voice Translation for podcasts. This feature, designed to record new voices for a product rather than the original voice (implied from the contrast with traditional dubbing), could potentially expand the global reach of podcasts by providing translations in various languages. The Voice Translation feature is likely to be used by other podcasters on the Spotify platform.
Steven Bartlett was among the podcasters working with Spotify on AI-powered voice translations. His podcast, an animated documentary-style series featuring high-profile business figures like Richard Branson and Elon Musk, was one of the pilots for this feature. The Voice Translation feature aims to match the original speaker's style for a more authentic listening experience.
However, the use of AI in podcasting has sparked a debate. Some listeners find the experience impersonal, with some expressing that it feels like an AI podcast with no soul. Georgie Holt, a cofounder of FlightStory Studio, acknowledges that while the production is done by AI, Steven Bartlett is still involved in scripting and writing.
In conclusion, AI is making significant strides in podcasting, with examples like Steven Bartlett’s FlightStory Studio productions and Google’s NotebookLM-powered interactive AI-hosted podcasts, as well as platforms like Jellypod focusing on realistic AI voice synthesis. As the technology continues to evolve, we can expect to see more podcasts adopting AI for hosting and voice translation, potentially revolutionising the way we consume audio content.
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Artificial Intelligence is being used by FlightStory Studio to clone the voice of Steven Bartlett for his podcast, "100 CEOs with Steven Bartlett," creating a virtual host. (First sentence)
Notable podcasts like Google's NotebookLM-based podcasts are using AI to generate realistic conversations between two AI hosts and provide interactive responses in real-time, offering a unique and engaging experience to the listeners. (Second sentence)
