AI agents and other tools can drive revenue growth for radio
This is one in a series about how radio broadcasters are deploying AI tools.
We asked Chris Brunt, director of AI, digital and revenue generation at Jacobs Media, about recent developments. Brunt writes a Jacobs Media blog about digital tools including the uses of AI in a radio environment. The interview took place in summer 2025.
Radio World: Present day, how are AI technologies altering broadcast workflows?
Chris Brunt: There have been few technologies that have taken hold so quickly as AI.
Eighteen months ago, when talking with broadcasters, I would ask who’s using it and around a quarter of the participants’ hands would go up. Today, it’s an overwhelming majority; regardless of market size.
We’ve seen massive uptake in text-generation tools to knock out promo and advertising copy. Many television and radio groups have AI-generating audio and video ad tools that are being used extensively.
RW: The applications seem endless. Which AI tools have found the most uptake by broadcasters?
Brunt: Most of the AI-use around stations is ChatGPT for text generation, including writing proposals and advertising copy. In a world where there’s more work to do by less people, broadcasters are using AI shortcuts to get better work faster.
RW: How are broadcasters using AI to bolster revenue, and how much of an impact is it making?
Brunt: The biggest change is AI-generated advertisements. These sound and look great.
Using AI for upgrading scripts and producing specs is a great first step for broadcasters. Many salespeople are now quickly generating spec spots and including them in their pitches, and increasing their closes because of it. Broadcasters are also using those AI tools to sell across digital audio platforms.
RW: What have early radio adopters learned in the past two and a half years?
Brunt: As AI tools have become more powerful and less clunky, the first adopters are discovering new ways and new prompts to enhance the work at their stations. A year ago, to get a really good output from AI engines required a really good prompt. Today, these engines create good text, audio and images without having to meticulously craft a prompt. AI hallucinations are dramatically less as well.
RW: What specific types of AI are broadcasters using?
Brunt: A majority of broadcasters who are using AI are using the off-the-shelf tools offered by the tech giants, such as ChatGPT, Gemini and Copilot.
For specific station tasks, ElevenLabs is getting a lot of use on the audio side. Audacy put out a press release on their use of the tool last year, and Waymark is used by many broadcasters for video ad generation.
RW: Are radio broadcasters changing how they think of their product thanks to AI? For instance, you wrote in a recent blog that the integration of tools like Operator from OpenAI could help stations evolve into fully interactive hubs, “blending human creativity with AI-powered energy and accessibility.” Describe that transition.
Brunt: Most AI tools today are designed for single, one-and-done tasks, such as generating a script, rewriting a paragraph or summarizing a meeting. Useful, but limited in scope. What’s emerging now is a more advanced capability: AI agents that can handle entire workflows, not just isolated actions.
Operator is a project revealed by OpenAI earlier this year. Unlike task-based tools, Operator is designed to plan, coordinate and execute multi-step projects with minimal human input. It can take a goal, break it down into tasks and use other AI tools or APIs to complete each step. It’s essentially a digital project manager.
Broadcasting tech companies are starting to take notice. Some are already exploring how these agent-based systems can be integrated into their platforms to automate complex processes. Instead of just speeding up one task, these AI agents could eventually optimize entire operations, fundamentally shifting how stations manage workflows and deliver programming to audiences and campaigns to clients.
RW: You’ve also said that the tone around AI has changed in broadcast circles. How so?
Brunt: The panic has subsided as broadcasters see what AI can do to help them. Broadcasters, both radio and TV, are in a people-focused industry where there are less people to do the work. Using AI tools make them more efficient and allow them to spend more time on what’s important: focusing on and interacting with viewers and listeners.
RW: Alpha Media recently pulled the plug on AI Ashley in Portland. Why are broadcasters seemingly hesitant to use AI jocks but seem to be embracing it for audio production needs?
Brunt: Media companies have looked at the research. At this point, radio listeners overwhelmingly want to listen to actual humans and not AI-created content. Could listeners tell the difference between live, voice-tracked and AI-generated? I’m not sure. But there is inherent trust between the audience and the people behind the microphones.
Our Christian Music Broadcasters Techsurvey in the fall showed that 91% of Christian radio listeners feel it’s very or somewhat important for stations to be up front with their audiences about AI usage. We rarely see a result that unanimous.
RW: What’s next? Can you identify trends you expect to see?
Brunt: We’re seeing existing products getting AI embedded into the next versions coming to market, and that will continue.
The next wave of AI will be all about hyper-personalized content. Think about an AI that scans your social profiles such as Instagram likes, TikTok skips and even your dating app swipes. It then uses that data to generate a custom podcast made just for you, filled with exactly the kind of content you crave, hosted by someone who you find easy on the eyes.
That level of tailored media isn’t here yet, but it’s not science fiction. It’s already being discussed inside tech and entertainment companies. The race is on to build AI that curates your entire experience.
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