After disclosing that Thy, one of its well-liked on-air personalities, is really an AI-generated DJ rather than a human, an Australian radio station has faced criticism.
The presenter of the "Workdays with Thy" show, "Thy," was created using technology from the US-based artificial intelligence firm ElevenLabs, according to CADA, a Sydney-based broadcaster.
Since listeners were not aware that the voice behind the daily program was fake, the news, which was originally revealed by The Sydney Morning Herald, has drawn a lot of criticism.
With a variety of worldwide songs, "Workdays with Thy" has been broadcasting weekdays from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. since November 2024. The station made no mention of the AI technology behind the voice while describing Thy as playing "the hottest tracks from around the world" in its program description.
Although Thy's look and voice were patterned after an actual employee of ARN Media, CADA said that "music experts" were still in charge of choosing the music. But the station's omission of Thy's artificial character has sparked concerns about openness and confidence in the expanding use of AI in journalism.
Other broadcasters' more open stance is echoed by the dispute. For example, in 2023, Portland, Oregon's FBFF Live 95.5 debuted "AI Ashley," a virtual representation of its human presenter Ashley Elzinga, although they were upfront about the AI component.
According to data given by CADA, "Workdays with Thy" had around 72,000 listeners by March 2025, despite the criticism. The station is not alone in using AI DJs; Debbie Disrupt, an AI presenter on Melbourne's Disrupt Radio, is also used by the station.
Founded in January 2023, ElevenLabs is renowned for its advanced voice cloning and text-to-speech technology. In order to provide immersive audio experiences, it has worked with the estates of well-known individuals including Jerry Garcia, Jimmy Stewart, and Burt Reynolds.
In a previous interview with Decrypt, Dustin Blank, Head of Partnership at ElevenLabs, said, "The goal of these iconic voices is to add a deeper and new level of immersive experience to listening and reading the content."
As AI programs increasingly create music, mimic voices, and even take the place of conventional radio DJs, the rapid development of AI in the music and broadcasting sectors is igniting controversy throughout the world. Critics contend that while technology presents new opportunities, a lack of transparency might jeopardise audience confidence.
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