A recent Radio World guest commentary calls out what the author terms the “fake AI podcast boom” — a surge of artificially produced shows flooding podcast platforms not to serve audiences, but to game programmatic advertising and SEO. The piece argues this trend may be harming podcasting’s creative core and shifting attention toward cheap volume instead of meaningful engagement.
The commentary highlights Inception Point AI’s Quiet Please network, which reportedly churns out around 3,000 AI‑generated episodes per week, with plans for roughly 150,000 total episodes by the end of 2025.
These shows are created entirely by AI (including scripting and hosting) at a cost of about $1 per episode — generating revenue through programmatic ad systems rather than growing loyal audiences. Critics argue this approach prioritizes quantity over quality and treats audio content as cheap inventory for advertisers.
This critique ties into wider industry discussions around AI in podcasting — including tools that help creators automate production tasks and personalize listener experiences — which many see as valuable innovations when used responsibly.
AI‑driven features like automated transcription, enhanced audio editing, and recommendation algorithms are reshaping workflows in ways that help creators focus on storytelling.
Still, the “fake AI podcast boom” raises concerns about content commoditization: when programs are produced for low cost and mass release, it can overwhelm platforms and make discovery harder for independent human creators. Some commentators liken this to content farm dynamics seen in web publishing, where AI‑generated low‑value content competes for attention but may dilute overall quality.
As the industry grapples with these trends, conversations increasingly focus on how to balance AI efficiency with maintaining authentic, high‑quality audio experiences that audiences value.
