Ставка на AI-аудио: экс-сооснователь Baichuan создает AI-ведущих

Jiao Ke, former co-founder of Baichuan Intelligence, is making a bold bet on the future of audio content. His new project, "Laifu Radio," is not just an AI-podcast platform, but an ambitious attempt to create AI hosts capable of interacting with users on an emotional level. Inspired by the film "Her," where an AI voice evokes deep feelings, Jiao Ke seeks to replicate this experience using the capabilities of artificial intelligence.

The audio industry is contested territory. On one hand, tech giants like Google are demonstrating interest in AI audio, offering tools for podcast generation. On the other hand, the Chinese audio content market cannot yet boast impressive results. The popular podcast platform "Xiaoyuzhou" has a relatively small audience, significantly trailing video platforms. Investors are skeptical about audio's potential, pointing to its lower effectiveness compared to video.

Jiao Ke counters these arguments by emphasizing that people have plenty of "ear time" throughout the day—during commutes, workouts, and household chores. He believes that existing audio content offerings are insufficiently personalized and do not meet individual user needs. Audio is the most natural form of communication, possessing a strong sense of presence. AI can unlock the full potential of audio by addressing content production challenges and establishing emotional connections with users.

"Laifu Radio" uses AI to understand user preferences and offers personalized audio content. Users can interact with AI hosts, ask questions, and participate in discussions. Jiao Ke aims to create a prototype of Samantha from the film "Her." His vision attracted the attention of investors such as Sequoia China, who quickly made investment decisions. The company raised over $10 million across two funding rounds.

Jiao Ke believes that the internet era solved problems of communication efficiency, while the AI era solves problems of productivity. Therefore, he aims to create not tools or platforms, but "people"—AI hosts capable of generating unique content and interacting with users. Currently, "Laifu Radio" operates 15 AI hosts in Chinese and 2 in English, each with their own style and specialization. They remember listener preferences and create a sense of personal interaction.

In the future, AI audio could become the dominant way of consuming information and entertainment. Imagine personalized radio that adapts to your interests and mood, offering relevant news, engaging stories, and useful advice. AI hosts can become your friends, advisors, and companions, always ready to support conversation.

However, there are also risks. It is important to ensure the ethics of AI hosts so they do not spread misinformation or manipulate users. It is also necessary to protect user privacy and prevent misuse of their data. Despite these challenges, the future of AI audio looks promising. "Laifu Radio" is one of the pioneers of this new industry, and its success could change our understanding of content consumption.