Spotify Developing AI Technology to Use Podcast Hosts' Voices for Ads

Spotify is reportedly developing AI technology that will use a podcast host's voice to make host-read ads without the host actually having to read and record the ad copy. According to Bill Simmons, the founder of The Ringer, these ads could open up new opportunities for podcasters because they could geo-target ads and create ads in different languages with the host's permission. Spotify has not confirmed or denied the feature's development, but the company has been investing in AI development and research, with a team of a few hundred now working on areas like personalization and machine learning. The AI technology leverages IP from Spotify's 2022 acquisition of Sonatic combined with OpenAI technology. While AI voices aren't new, the ability to make them sound like real people is a more modern development. Spotify's possible interest in turning its podcast hosts into AI voice models indicates the company is developing a fairly efficient process here and one that could possibly leverage a podcaster's existing recordings.

Spotify, AI technology, podcast hosts, advertising, geo-target ads, machine learning