A newly published academic paper on the pre‑print server arXiv examines how the AI tool NotebookLM, developed by Google, is generating full‑length “podcasts” by ingesting documents and producing audio overviews with two chatty AI‑hosts.
The paper, titled “AI‑generated podcasts: Synthetic Intimacy and Cultural Translation in NotebookLM’s Audio Overviews”, analyses the structure and implications of these generated audio formats.
Key findings indicate that the AI‑podcast format uses a fixed template or structure, rather than adapting dynamically to the source content. More critically, the tool standardises the host voice (described as a “perky Mid‑Western American accent”) and shifts cultural contexts into a white, middle‑class, American default.
This transformation of cultural context raises questions about representation, voice and intimacy in AI‑generated media.
The term “synthetic intimacy” is used to describe how listeners may feel a connection to seemingly personal, conversational‑style hosts — yet those hosts are entirely generated, and their voice or identity carries embedded cultural defaults and biases. For content creators, studios and educators, this means that simply using AI to generate “podcasts” isn’t a neutral process: voice, accent, host identity and cultural framing matter.
While AI‑generated formats may offer cheaper or faster production workflows, the study cautions that creators must manage representation, diversity of voice and authenticity carefully. Otherwise, audiences may receive homogenised content that erases nuance, local culture or global plurality.
For businesses producing podcast or audio‑content at scale, and for those utilising AI assistants in production workflows, the analysis is a timely reminder: technology can streamline production, but human oversight, inclusive design and cultural sensitivity must not be neglected.
