A radio station made history by introducing the first DJ powered by artificial intelligence. As AI technology enters the radio industry, the lines between past and present have blurred.
KBFF Live 95.5 FM, based in Portland, Oregon and owned by Alpha Media, has revealed that it will use Futuri Media’s RadioGPT software to broadcast an artificial intelligence (AI) or synthetic version of host Ashley Elzinga. became.
According to Phil Becker, Alpha Media’s vice president of content, the addition of AI will make radio stations “more agile than ever.”
“Radio GPT will allow us to showcase content creators more frequently and in more instances than ever before, curating more timely, topical and robust information for our Alpha audience and clients. Now we can,” said Becker.
The station posted a tweet on Tuesday showing Erzinga sharing its new AI host with listeners. In the video, you can hear the AI playing her comments as if they were recorded verbatim.
“I think it’s my day off,” jokes Erzinga.
In another video, a caller can be heard being informed by AI Ashley that he has won tickets to a Taylor Swift concert. The AI’s voice has a conversational, relaxed tone eerily similar to the host it’s modeled after.
according to fox businessthe station said Erzinga would continue to be paid at his current rate and would not replace the real Ashley, assuaging some local DJs’ concerns.
while talking to tech crunchBecker said RadioGPT is a tool designed specifically for radio host use.
Alpha Media also informed listeners that they can hear AI Ashley from anywhere on their smart speakers by tuning into Live 95.5 from 10am to 3pm Pacific Standard Time (PST).
