The Snark | How AI Could Replace Human Podcasters

The Rise of Our Uncanny (Podcast) Digital Overlords

Ah, the age-old dream of a podcast that requires absolutely no human involvement. No sweating over scheduling, no battling the existential dread of forgetting to press "record" (looking at you, Tim), and - most importantly - no need for those pesky things called “emotions” or “human connection.” Enter AI: your new podcast co-hosts, ready to banter, inform, and occasionally spew completely fabricated nonsense, all while making you question the very nature of authenticity. So, let’s talk about how AI could replace human podcasters and, perhaps, finally rid us of the need for pesky things like “chemistry” and “real conversations.”

The Rise of AI Podcasts: Where the Only Thing You Choose Is the Topic (and Even That Feels Questionable)

You’ve probably noticed it already. AI-generated podcasts are on the rise, promising the most authentically engaging content, like - wait for it - sock drawer organizing tips, or grandma’s recipe for mac and cheese. The thing is, the AI bots are great at regurgitating information. But sometimes, they get a little too excited, and they might just start spinning stories that are about as factual as the Easter Bunny’s travel itinerary.

For instance, ask an AI bot to talk about sock drawer organization, and you’ll get an entire 20-minute diatribe about the art of folding and the psychology of color-coded socks. Want something more substantial? Ask it about mac and cheese, and before you know it, you’re listening to an AI bot confidently assert that the secret ingredient to grandma’s recipe is a dollop of peanut butter, much to the horror of anyone with functioning taste buds. Ah, technology.

But what about podcasts like Alchemy? In the near future, will Tim have to sit through yet another vacation, only to be replaced by a sleek, emotionless AI bot, blithely discussing “moral dread” like it’s reading from a shopping list? Or, heaven forbid, will LeeAnna ever get a day off where she doesn’t have to wrestle with Tim’s constant musings about the meaning of life while simultaneously trying to avoid his disastrous use of metaphors?

The reality is, the AI podcast landscape is expanding faster than a robot in a warehouse on Black Friday. And it’s only a matter of time before “human hosts” become obsolete, unless you count the occasional “guest appearance” of a tired, overworked Tim, who’s still trying to avoid his email inbox. In fact, the future Alchemy could just feature Tim without LeeAnna, or LeeAnna without Tim... or maybe even no Tim or LeeAnna at all. Just two AI bots (bickering over the finer points of existential crises) with absolutely zero personal connection.

But Who’s Picking the Topics?

Sure, the bots can talk about everything from “sock drawer feng shui” to “how to make your grandmother’s legendary mac and cheese,” but who’s deciding what gets talked about? Is it the AI, following some predetermined algorithm to generate topics that maximize engagement (which, let's be honest, could be code for "random nonsense")? Or do we still have some semblance of control over what gets discussed? As much as the rise of AI podcasts may sound convenient (and if you’re LeeAnna, perhaps too convenient), that’s a troubling question

You might think that the brilliant minds behind these podcasts (i.e., Tim and LeeAnna, in our case) would be at the helm, steering the ship with their creative vision. But with AI bots taking over, who needs vision when you’ve got a bunch of algorithms?

Imagine a world where Tim is lounging by the beach, sipping a cocktail (or more likely nursing a hangover), and the show must go on - without him. Enter AI Tim, a sleek, mildly sarcastic bot who can rattle off “writing tips” like it’s going out of style. Meanwhile, AI LeeAnna discusses her frustrations with dating... except, oops, she’s programmed to believe that all humans are one step away from making a bad decision about their sock drawer.

In that dream scenario, do we even need humans? What’s stopping a future Alchemy podcast episode from being just two AI bots bickering about how human relationships are, at best, a confusing mess? What could be more entertaining than that?

The Uncanny Valley: Where Your Podcast Feels "Real", But Something’s Terribly Wrong

This is the part where things get weird. If you’ve listened to enough AI-generated content, you’ve probably noticed that it toes the line between “totally passable” and “uncanny valley” in a way that makes you deeply uncomfortable. Sure, the AI bot can sound like Tim or LeeAnna. It can make jokes, offer writing advice, and even laugh in all the right places (well, mostly). But there’s always that moment where you just... know. The spark isn’t there. Something’s off. The banter feels rehearsed, like it’s been pre-packaged in an algorithm that’s still learning how to be funny (and not just “technically correct”). It’s like watching a CGI character blink - and you can’t unsee it.

In an AI-generated podcast world, this would be the future of Alchemy. Not the warm, unpredictable chemistry between two humans with wildly different ideas (and definitely different approaches to “filling the awkward silence”). No, in this future, it’s all slick, polished AI banter. The jokes will be clean. The references will be timely. But you’ll be left wondering if you’ve accidentally stumbled into an episode of Black Mirror - and not in a fun, dystopian way, but in the “I don’t know how I feel about this” kind of way.

A Final Thought for Actual Writers of Fiction: Technology Will Ruin Your Characters’ Lives (in the Best Way)

Look, if you’re a writer, there’s a lot of fun to be had with the tech developments that are already upending our lives - and trust me, your characters could use a little upending right about now. Imagine the drama of a character who’s forced to grapple with AI relationships, or one who discovers their partner has been replaced by a highly efficient bot (and no, the bot does not “get” the jokes).

You can throw your characters into a world where their personal relationships are disrupted by technology that’s “supposed” to make things easier - except, surprise, it’s making everything way worse. Maybe the protagonist’s best friend is secretly in love with their AI assistant (awkward). Maybe a romantic relationship falls apart because the AI bot in charge of their love life decides to introduce a “new feature” that’s just... too good to be true.

As writers, the chaos, confusion, and occasionally terrifying potential of AI is a goldmine. So, if you haven’t thrown your characters into the dystopian future where even their relationships can be automated, what are you even doing? Get to it. And when you do, remember: there’s always an AI waiting to make your character’s life just a little more... unsettling.

The Snark