It's no secret that generative AI has been an amazing weapon for spammers, but the scale of some of these operations may make you wince. A new piece from The Telegraph explores the bizarre new world of AI-generated podcasts - and specifically, a single podcast network called "Quiet Please" that has dreams of online domination. It boasts nearly one hundred separate podcast series, with over 10 million downloads since September 2023.
Since Google launched Audio Overview, the first mass-market podcast generator that creates shows from documents and other inputs, just over a year ago, a wave of startups has rushed in, from ElevenLabs to Wondercraft. No studio, no humans at the microphone, not even a recording -- yet out comes a lively podcast, banter and all. Whether based on a legal document or a school handout, AI tools can deliver a state-of-the-art podcast at the click of a mouse.