The Guaranteed Human in an Artificial World

Can you lean into AI advancements without losing human connection? Find out on a new Media Roundtable.

During SXSW, Will Pearson (President, iHeartPodcasts) hosted “The Guaranteed Human In An Artificial World.” Will took the stage with some of the sharpest thinkers in podcasting: Brendan Monaghan (CEO, Libsyn), Gladwell Mwangi (Paid Media Enablement Lead, Whole Foods Market), and Richard Case (VP, Growth Marketing, GoodRX).

Join us as they cover: The Guaranteed Human, Finding your Center, AI-Augmented, and more. Let’s dig in.

“There’s a ton more [AI content] being created, but at the end of the day, listeners can tell. And they place a high level of expectation on those creators to deliver an authentic experience.” – Brendan Monaghan (CEO, Libsyn)

The Guaranteed Human  – Podcasting’s magic relies on human connection. A host really believes in a brand, so they endorse it, and listeners really want to buy it. If any part of that chain of trust is broken, it doesn’t work. AI can sound human, but we don’t trust it like a human. iHeart’s emphasis on human-voiced content reinforces the trust that underpins audio’s unique connection

Find your Center – I tools are just that: tools. They can be great for accomplishing tasks, but they can’t tell you what’s important in the first place. If you want to succeed with AI tools (or without them), focus on what matters to you. For Brendan, that’s supporting creators. So Libsyn uses AI to automate workflow, surface audience insights, and optimize monetization. Marketers, to avoid AI burnout, go back to the source. Who are you trying to help? Then see if there are new tools to make it

AI-Augmented, not AI-Generated – Creators are singular talents with unique voices in every sense of the word. Audiences are tuning in for real human expertise and experience. Any help that AI is providing to content can’t overshadow the human creating it. In Brendan’s words: “Listeners can tell.” The same goes for marketers. There is something unique about how you understand your brand and your customers. If you abdicate that unique vision for the same tools everyone has access to, your creative will be wholly indistinguishable, and you’ll have given up your advantage.

For more insights from industry leaders working to use AI while staying human, check out the full chat here.