What’s News: In this week’s “Very Special Edition” of the AI Edge newsletter, we share exclusive data regarding listeners’ perceptions and attitudes about AI from the soon-to-be-released Jacobs Media Techsurvey 2024.
If you’re unfamiliar with the Jacobs Media Techsurvey, since 2005 Jacobs Media has collaborated with hundreds of radio stations in the United States and Canada to gather listener responses through an annual online survey. This comprehensive survey covers a wide range of technology-related topics, including how listeners consume content from their favorite stations and their perspectives on emerging technologies.
The consistency of the methodology and breadth of the data creates incredible insights into listener attitudes and tech trends. Techsurveys in years past have hinted at everything from the burgeoning popularity (and future ebbing) of Facebook to the marked spike in streaming.
This year’s Techsurvey was the first to query listeners about AI. The results are provocative and show the serious caution broadcasters must use when implementing AI — particularly AI DJs. Americans — even Gen Zs — are leery of AI and want humans to be behind the mic.
As AI continues to evolve and more Americans become familiar with AI, will their views on AI moderate? Next year’s 2025 Techsurvey will let us know what those trends looks like.
- Sign up for the 2024 Techsurvey All-Industry webinar hosted by Fred Jacobs on April 25 at 2PM EDT
AI EDGE AI SUMMARY
This year’s Techsurvey provides a comprehensive overview of the current perceptions and attitudes towards AI among core commercial radio fans in the U.S. and Canada. The survey was conducted in January and February of this year. For full details on today’s release, visit Jacobsmedia.com or Insideradio.com.
KEY AI TAKEAWAYS
1. Audience Familiarity and Use of AI
General Awareness: A solid majority of respondents (58%) report being very or somewhat familiar with AI. This familiarity is notably higher among men and younger demographics, including Generation Z, Millennials, and Generation X.
Usage: 9% use AI applications for personal, work, or school purposes, with Gen Z and Millennials being the most active users. Those who prefer Alternative music are most likely to use AI regularly, while Classic Hits and Classic Rock listeners are the least likely.
2. Concerns and Perceptions about AI
Adoption Speed: Over seventy percent (71%) express concern over the rapid adoption of AI, with significant concern across all demographic groups, particularly among women.
Impact on Society: The perception of AI‘s impact on society is largely negative, with 53% anticipating a somewhat or very negative effect. Only 5% believe AI will have a very positive impact.
Regulation: There’s a strong consensus (75%) that government intervention is necessary to regulate AI, with 36% advocating for high levels of regulation.
Influence on Elections: More than half (51%) are very concerned about AI‘s potential to affect the outcome of upcoming elections, indicating a broad apprehension about its role in the political process.
3. Attitudes Towards Radio’s Use of AI
AI Hosts: There is substantial resistance (75%) to the idea of replacing live talent with AI-generated voices, indicating a strong preference for human connection and authenticity in radio broadcasting.
AI in Commercials: There’s less opposition (39%) to the use of AI for voicing commercials, though nearly four in ten listeners still express significant concerns.
AI for Station IDs: The most acceptable use of AI among respondents is for station identification, with about one-third (34%) expressing no issue. However, a similar proportion (30%) has major concerns, reflecting a degree of skepticism even for less critical applications.
Executive Summary
Familiarity vs. Use: While a majority are familiar with AI, actual usage remains low, particularly among older demographics and fans of Classic Hits and Rock. This gap suggests an opportunity for educational initiatives to bridge the familiarity-usage divide.
Societal and Regulatory Concerns: The overwhelming concern about the rapid adoption of AI and its potential negative impact, coupled with a strong call for government regulation, highlights a societal apprehension that broadcasters must navigate carefully.
Radio’s AI Application: The strong opposition to replacing on-air talent with AI underscores the value listeners place on human elements in radio. However, there seems to be a somewhat more receptive attitude towards using AI for less personal aspects of broadcasting, such as station IDs and commercials.
AI EDGE ‘BEST PRACTICES’
Scientists Are Using AI to Make Beer Taste Better
Belgian Beer Gets High-Tech Upgrade! Scientists have turned to AI to improve the taste of your favorite brews.
Prof Kevin Verstrepen, of KU Leuven University, led the initiative that analyzes the hundreds of flavorings in beer and predict how they work together, “Beer — like most food products — contains hundreds of different aroma molecules that get picked up by our tongue and nose, and our brain then integrates these into one picture. However, the compounds interact with each other, so how we perceive one depends also on the concentrations of the others,” he said.
Researchers studied hundreds of beers and how people reacted to them, then fed that information to the machines. In a taste test, the computers helped make both regular and non-alcoholic beers even tastier! But fear not, beer connoisseurs! These machines won’t be replacing your favorite brewer. They’re just giving them a fancy new tool to create even more delicious Belgian beers!
Along with his duties at Jacobs Media, Chris develops revenue opportunities for jācapps’ mobile apps clients.
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