A recent study by US-based research firm NuVoodoo suggests that while artificial intelligence is a hot topic in tech circles, most listeners have yet to engage with it directly. The national survey, which gathered responses from nearly 3,000 people aged 14 and older, explored attitudes toward AI-generated voices in podcasts and radio. Here's what they found.
Who’s Using AI?
Despite AI’s growing presence in media and entertainment and grabbing headlines non-stop, the study found that many respondents have yet to interact with it. Baby Boomers (59–77 years of age) were unsurprisingly the least likely to have used AI, and the majority of Gen X (43–58 years old) also reported little to no experience with the technology. Even among Millennials and Gen Z, groups often associated with digital fluency, there were substantial numbers who hadn’t engaged with AI tools.
Only a quarter of respondents said they regularly use digital voice assistants like Siri or Alexa. Among younger demographics, the numbers were slightly higher, but the majority still weren’t interacting with AI-driven voices on a regular basis.
AI vs. Human Voices
When asked to choose between an AI-generated podcast or radio show with polished, natural-sounding voices and a human-hosted alternative with less refined audio quality, most respondents preferred human hosts. However, a third of Millennials and a quarter of Gen Z said they would opt for AI voices.
"We specified one as having 'hosts who have very pleasant voices and sound very natural, but are AI generated' and another where “the voices are not as polished, but you know they are actual human beings," NuVoodoo study says. "Humans pull a plurality of every demo breakout we have, but a third of the Millennials said they’d prefer AI voices – along with about a quarter of Gen Z."
A notable portion of the sample selected “Not sure,” which NuVoodoo suggests could indicate uncertainty about what an AI-driven show would actually sound like.
Podcasts Show More Openness to AI
The study also found differences in AI acceptance depending on the type of content. Among heavy podcast listeners, 37% expressed interest in AI-generated shows. In contrast, only 27% of frequent music radio listeners showed the same level of openness. This suggests that, for many, content takes precedence over whether a human or AI delivers it.
"Broken out by current heavy users of music radio, talk radio, and podcasts we see comparatively higher interest in AI-generated shows among podcast listeners (37%) and comparatively lower acceptance among heavy music radio listeners (27%). In the end, this decision is more likely to be driven by how entertaining, how relevant, or how informative the content in question is, rather than who or what is providing the voice."
NuVoodoo researchers noted that while AI has potential as a tool for broadcasters, human radio hosts remain essential, particularly for audience engagement, live events, and community interactions, which are the areas where AI still falls short.
"We remain of the opinion that local, live radio hosts are most critical when it simply comes to being able to show up at community events and client locations. AI can be a tremendous extension of staff and resources, but it can’t shake hands or appear in front of an in-person crowd."
