The One Job AI Should Never Take

Can you still hear the difference between a human voice and AI? We all think that we can, but ever-smarter artificial intelligence is becoming harder to spot. Voiceover artists and narrators are being replaced by automated voices, and even that most personable of professions – the radio presenter – seems to be at risk as AI airbrushes its way into the culture.

But Last year, Australian radio station CADA launched a new four-hour daily show, ‘Workdays with Thy’. It ran for six months before an investigation by journalist Stephanie Coombes proved that Thy was AI: energetic, upbeat but entirely fictional; maybe the clue was in the name all along. CADA’s parent company, the Australian Radio Network (ARN) was forced to take the show off-air and admit that it had been ‘trialling AI tools’.

Perhaps the most worrying aspect of this story is the fact that the show aired for six months and took a journalist to uncover: the listeners didn’t spot it. But they weren’t particularly engaged by it, and ARN’s internal findings should give human radio presenters – and their listeners – some hope. “This is a space being explored by broadcasters globally,” ARN said, “and while the trial has offered valuable insights, it’s also reinforced the unique value that personalities bring to creating truly compelling content.”

A recent study by the National Library of Medicine found that voice clones ‘are realistic but not (yet) hyperrealistic’, and multiple studies suggest the parasocial relationship between presenter and listener is important. A 2021 UNESCO study found that radio was consistently the most trusted medium for consumers, while a 2022 policy paper from the UK Government called it ‘first and foremost a trusted medium’ and ‘crucial company’ for many of us. The Australasian Journal on Ageing found a direct correlation between a radio presenter’s tone and manner, and the quality of life of their listeners.

This is especially true in regional radio, whose personalities are part of the station’s brand, tone, voice and values. Presenters are often local celebrities and powerful advocates for their area. That authenticity and energy simply can’t be replicated or programmed, and for their loyal audiences, few things beat their seal of approval.

That’s why radio will always be an integral part of any publicity machine. And it’s not just that irreplaceable human touch: when talent heads out on the campaign trail, viral moments and leading news lines often stem from a radio station’s interview slot. Not bad for a medium which is well over a century old now, but feeling more relevant and human than ever.