One spoken word/talk radio trend that should scare all of us? The sheer glut of available distractions is consistently growing. At some point, there will be a balloon pop — right?
What if I told you the on-demand experiences will become catered to each human to create their own reality? I am sure that we all have this impulse. You know the person who seemingly lives in their own reality. The person who is busy living “their truth.” What does this mean to radio?
Soon, you will be able to ask artificial intelligence to break down the news from the Zoroastrian point of view, and you will be able to get the biggest stories of the day individually catered to your personal views, ethics, and biases. You will be able to avoid anything that you don’t want to hear. It will create an alternate reality in an already splintered world.
Radio being companionship is something that is disappearing. It is not that radio has ceased to provide that service; it is because of the millions of alternatives. So, you are an adherent to the Zoroastrian belief system — I am using this as an example — you could be Jewish, Christian, atheist, Muslim, Buddhist, or some other faith. The point is this: the moment that you don’t need other people is the warning sign for our society.
Your new artificial intelligence friend can’t really listen to you. The prompts provided to the AI platform of your choice can only give you the answers that you asked for. So, if you want to bathe deeply in your personal beliefs, you can. There will be no differences provided. There will be no questions, only confirmation of your truth.
If you dive deeply into humanity’s weaknesses, it is our personal devotion to the person in the mirror. We have all worked with radio personalities that have self-destructed. Why do they fall apart? If you are the biggest genius ever to walk the earth, everyone around you is somewhat less. We have heard people refer to someone they disagree with as an insult that equates to “subhuman.”
Our artificial intelligence future could become a rocket for dehumanization between people. This is not necessarily a war between countries, but hate for our neighbors.
The promise of artificial intelligence is seemingly unlimited. Could AI give us the cure for cancer, potholes, or help us with complex mathematics? Yes. Can it lead to solving humanity’s greatest problems? Yes.
Here is what artificial intelligence can never do — provide real human interaction and feeling. The suicide rate is up 36% since the year 2000. Why? Isolation, depression, worthlessness, and loneliness certainly cover a great deal of the reasons. Are you a skilled person on an artificial intelligence platform?
According to United States Census data, about 17% of Americans ages 18–65 live alone. Thirty percent of U.S. households have children under the age of 18. Radio is essential. Humans are made to be pack animals. Sadly, isolation is a growing segment of our society.
Ok, that is nice, Peter — but what does this mean for radio?
This is a shot across the bow of radio’s future. When you are on the air, you may be the only human voice people interact with today. Think about that. Radio is about community and interaction. There are people who work from home and rarely leave their homes. They are alone in a consistent manner. Sometimes people at the office just focus on the tasks at hand and never really interact with others. Human beings need each other. With our faults, we are best together.
This is where radio comes into play. You are an essential part of the day of people who may be at their wits’ end. The ex-spouse may be taking the kids away or demanding more money. The person is driving to work, and you may be the only person they feel connected to. In a humorless existence, you may be the lone light on that commute. You are not artificial intelligence. So, you must be real and connect with the listeners. You are not a prompt hoping for an answer that someone conjures up to validate whatever motivation the prompt directed.
Talk Radio is people. The more human the format, the happier the audience is. In news/talk radio, this is about confessing to something stupid you did at dinner last night. Talking about being so close to a complete road rage breakdown that you had to share it with people who would understand — your listeners. A talk radio host reliving the moment they cried at the end of Home Alone because of how wonderful Catherine O’Hara was in that movie. Rest in peace to her.
In an unfeeling, on-demand world, you are an essential part of their world. You can be the reason the audience feels worthy and connected to another living soul. I am always amazed when I receive a note from a listener from a decade or two ago who tells me about a moment on the radio that touched their life. Radio is an intimate medium. Ideas and experiences are shared that change people’s lives. Artificial intelligence cannot do that.
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