Artificial Intelligence has been a tool for audio editing and podcast production for years. But with new innovations AI is pushing podcast production and editing to be both richer and more efficient. Of course, generative AI is also raising new concerns about what limits should be imposed on the use of the tools.
Whether you’re an independent producer working from your bedroom or a major media organization making a show for tens of thousands, AI tools are rapidly becoming essential to the modern podcasting workflow. Here’s a look at five practical uses of AI in podcasting today.
1. AI-assisted audio editing
Adobe Podcast and other similar platforms have free tools that use AI to clean up background noise, level audio, and can even remove filler words with just a few clicks. These tools use AI to make almost any recording sound like it was recorded in a professional setting, filtering out background noise and optimizing audio levels.
2. Automated transcription and text-based editing
AI transcription tools like Otter.ai can transcribe hours of audio with high accuracy in minutes, even across multiple speakers. Some platforms, like Descript and Adobe Podcast even use AI to let you edit the show from the transcript, making the barrier for entry for editing and accessibility much lower. These tools don’t get everything perfectly right in the transcript, but they can turn an hour-long job into one that only takes a few minutes, and that kind of efficiency adds up fast.
3. Automated and voice-matched translation
Tools like ElevenLabs’ instant and professional voice cloning allows podcasters to upload snippets of their own voice and create sound-alike clones. These can be useful for all kinds of things, from narrating menial scripts like ads or credits, to translating something from one language into another while preserving the voice of the speaker. Not only does it save time, but it opens the door to audiences in entirely new languages.
4. Scriptwriting and brainstorming
While nothing replaces original storytelling, AI can help break writer’s block or structure your thoughts. It’s especially useful when taking written articles and turning them into things that are easier (and sometimes more concise) to say out loud. The human touch isn’t disappearing — creatives can use any good LLM to shape a first-pass script, then revise it to fit the right tone and message for the brand.
5. Distribution and advertising
Podcast production can be burdensome, but perhaps even more so is the distribution and marketing of a show. Tools like Adobe Podcast Studio’s downloadable audiograms or Descript’s AI video editing can make professional social media content not only within reach, but polished and fast. It’s an easy thing to work into the workflow, and it can compliment any current social media talent you have to make it even better.
AI won’t replace podcast creators — but it can help us do more, faster, and with greater polish. The key is using it as an active tool, not a lazy shortcut.
