Latest news with #StephanieCoombes
Scottish Sun
28-04-2025
- Entertainment
- Scottish Sun
Radio listeners are duped by secret AI clone host who presented 4hrs-a-day for SIX MONTHS – would YOU have spotted it?
Click to share on X/Twitter (Opens in new window) Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) FURIOUS radio listeners have slammed an AI-generated clone host who presented live on air four hours a day for half a year. Artificial intelligence robo-host "Thy" broadcast her show on Australian Radio Network's CADA station for six months before being called out. 3 AI-generated radio host Thy presented music on Australian Radio Network's CADA station on the iHeartRadio app Credit: CADA 3 Workdays with Thy broadcast on ARN's CADA station four hours a day from Monday to Friday 3 The robo-host sparked backlash from listeners of the AI-generated radio show, concept art pictured Credit: Getty The creepy radio host was created using an AI software developed by voice cloning firm ElevenLabs. Her show, dubbed Workdays with Thy, presented music for four hours daily, Monday to Friday. But the sneaky bot failed to ever mention that she was not actually a real person. The show's website states: "If your day is looking a bit bleh, let Thy and CADA be the energy and vibe to get your mood lifted." The shock reveal only emerged after Sydney-based writer Stephanie Coombes questioned whether the automated host was really human. Coombes posed crucial questions in a bombshell blog post: "What is Thy's last name? Who is she? "Where did she come from? There is no biography, or further information about the woman who is supposedly presenting this show." Breakthrough audio analysis then debunked the hyper-realistic AI-generated host. It showed that Thy's voice clips sounded identical to each other, when saying the phrase "old school" across different shows. Fears AI will destroy entire justice system by sending innocent people to JAIL with fake CCTV evidence & deepfakes ARN project leader Fayed Tohme then admitted to the show's dubious AI practices. He said in a since-deleted LinkedIn post that Thy "sounds real" and has real fans - despite not being a real person. The leader said: "No mic, no studio, just code and vibes. "An experiment by ARN and ElevenLabs that's pushing the boundaries of what 'live radio' even means." The radio network sparked outrage from listeners for their shady radio show - even though there are currently no rules against the use of AI in broadcast content according to the communications regulator down under. Vice president of the Australian Association of Voice actors said that the show "should have been upfront and completely honest" before using an AI host. "People have been deceived into thinking it's a real person because there's no AI labelling," she complained. What are the arguments against AI? Artificial intelligence is a highly contested issue, and it seems everyone has a stance on it. Here are some common arguments against it: Loss of jobs - Some industry experts argue that AI will create new niches in the job market, and as some roles are eliminated, others will appear. However, many artists and writers insist the argument is ethical, as generative AI tools are being trained on their work and wouldn't function otherwise. Ethics - When AI is trained on a dataset, much of the content is taken from the Internet. This is almost always, if not exclusively, done without notifying the people whose work is being taken. Privacy - Content from personal social media accounts may be fed to language models to train them. Concerns have cropped up as Meta unveils its AI assistants across platforms like Facebook and Instagram. There have been legal challenges to this: in 2016, legislation was created to protect personal data in the EU, and similar laws are in the works in the United States. Misinformation - As AI tools pulls information from the Internet, they may take things out of context or suffer hallucinations that produce nonsensical answers. Tools like Copilot on Bing and Google's generative AI in search are always at risk of getting things wrong. Some critics argue this could have lethal effects - such as AI prescribing the wrong health information. ARN said in response that they were "exploring how new technology can support great content". They added: "We've been trialling AI audio tools on CADA using the voice of Thy, an ARN team member. "This is a space being explored by broadcasters globally, and while the trial has offered valuable insights, it's also reinforced the unique value that personalities bring to creating truly compelling content." Workdays with Thy reportedly attracted at least 72,000 listeners during the show's final month of ratings.
The Irish Sun
28-04-2025
- Entertainment
- The Irish Sun
Radio listeners are duped by secret AI clone host who presented 4hrs-a-day for SIX MONTHS – would YOU have spotted it?
FURIOUS radio listeners have slammed an AI-generated clone host who presented live on air four hours a day for half a year. Artificial intelligence robo-host "Thy" broadcast her show on Australian Radio Network's CADA station for six months before being called out. 3 AI-generated radio host Thy presented music on Australian Radio Network's CADA station on the iHeartRadio app Credit: CADA 3 Workdays with Thy broadcast on ARN's CADA station four hours a day from Monday to Friday 3 The robo-host sparked backlash from listeners of the AI-generated radio show, concept art pictured Credit: Getty The creepy radio host was created using an AI software developed by voice cloning firm ElevenLabs. Her show, dubbed Workdays with Thy, presented music for four hours daily, Monday to Friday. But the sneaky bot failed to ever mention that she was not actually a real person. The show's website states: "If your day is looking a bit bleh, let Thy and CADA be the energy and vibe to get your mood lifted." read more tech news The shock reveal only emerged after Sydney-based writer Stephanie Coombes questioned whether the automated host was really human. Coombes posed crucial questions in a bombshell blog post: "What is Thy's last name? Who is she? "Where did she come from? There is no biography, or further information about the woman who is supposedly presenting this show." Breakthrough audio analysis then debunked the hyper-realistic AI-generated host. Most read in Tech It showed that Thy's voice clips sounded identical to each other, when saying the phrase "old school" across different shows. Fears AI will destroy entire justice system by sending innocent people to JAIL with fake CCTV evidence & deepfakes ARN project leader Fayed Tohme then admitted to the show's dubious AI practices. He said in a since-deleted LinkedIn post that Thy "sounds real" and has real fans - despite not being a real person. The leader said: "No mic, no studio, just code and vibes. "An experiment by ARN and ElevenLabs that's pushing the boundaries of what 'live radio' even means." The radio network sparked outrage from listeners for their shady radio show - even though there are currently no rules against the use of AI in broadcast content according to the communications regulator down under. Vice president of the Australian Association of Voice actors said that the show "should have been upfront and completely honest" before using an AI host. "People have been deceived into thinking it's a real person because there's no AI labelling," she complained. What are the arguments against AI? Artificial intelligence is a highly contested issue, and it seems everyone has a stance on it. Here are some common arguments against it: Loss of jobs - Some industry experts argue that AI will create new niches in the job market, and as some roles are eliminated, others will appear. However, many artists and writers insist the argument is ethical, as generative AI tools are being trained on their work and wouldn't function otherwise. Ethics - When AI is trained on a dataset, much of the content is taken from the Internet. This is almost always, if not exclusively, done without notifying the people whose work is being taken. Privacy - Content from personal social media accounts may be fed to language models to train them. Concerns have cropped up as Meta unveils its AI assistants across platforms like Facebook and Instagram. There have been legal challenges to this: in 2016, legislation was created to protect personal data in the EU, and similar laws are in the works in the United States. Misinformation - As AI tools pulls information from the Internet, they may take things out of context or suffer hallucinations that produce nonsensical answers. Tools like Copilot on Bing and Google's generative AI in search are always at risk of getting things wrong. Some critics argue this could have lethal effects - such as AI prescribing the wrong health information. ARN said in response that they were "exploring how new technology can support great content". They added: "We've been trialling AI audio tools on CADA using the voice of Thy, an ARN team member. "This is a space being explored by broadcasters globally, and while the trial has offered valuable insights, it's also reinforced the unique value that personalities bring to creating truly compelling content." Workdays with Thy reportedly attracted at least 72,000 listeners during the show's final month of ratings.
The Sun
28-04-2025
- Entertainment
- The Sun
Radio listeners are duped by secret AI clone host who presented 4hrs-a-day for SIX MONTHS – would YOU have spotted it?
FURIOUS radio listeners have slammed an AI-generated clone host who presented live on air four hours a day for half a year. Artificial intelligence robo-host "Thy" broadcast her show on Australian Radio Network's CADA station for six months before being called out. 3 3 3 The creepy radio host was created using an AI software developed by voice cloning firm ElevenLabs. Her show, dubbed Workdays with Thy, presented music for four hours daily, Monday to Friday. But the sneaky bot failed to ever mention that she was not actually a real person. The show's website states: "If your day is looking a bit bleh, let Thy and CADA be the energy and vibe to get your mood lifted." The shock reveal only emerged after Sydney-based writer Stephanie Coombes questioned whether the automated host was really human. Coombes posed crucial questions in a bombshell blog post: "What is Thy's last name? Who is she? "Where did she come from? There is no biography, or further information about the woman who is supposedly presenting this show." Breakthrough audio analysis then debunked the hyper-realistic AI-generated host. It showed that Thy's voice clips sounded identical to each other, when saying the phrase "old school" across different shows. Fears AI will destroy entire justice system by sending innocent people to JAIL with fake CCTV evidence & deepfakes ARN project leader Fayed Tohme then admitted to the show's dubious AI practices. He said in a since-deleted LinkedIn post that Thy "sounds real" and has real fans - despite not being a real person. The leader said: "No mic, no studio, just code and vibes. "An experiment by ARN and ElevenLabs that's pushing the boundaries of what 'live radio' even means." The radio network sparked outrage from listeners for their shady radio show - even though there are currently no rules against the use of AI in broadcast content according to the communications regulator down under. Vice president of the Australian Association of Voice actors said that the show "should have been upfront and completely honest" before using an AI host. "People have been deceived into thinking it's a real person because there's no AI labelling," she complained. What are the arguments against AI? Artificial intelligence is a highly contested issue, and it seems everyone has a stance on it. Here are some common arguments against it: Loss of jobs - Some industry experts argue that AI will create new niches in the job market, and as some roles are eliminated, others will appear. However, many artists and writers insist the argument is ethical, as generative AI tools are being trained on their work and wouldn't function otherwise. Ethics - When AI is trained on a dataset, much of the content is taken from the Internet. This is almost always, if not exclusively, done without notifying the people whose work is being taken. Privacy - Content from personal social media accounts may be fed to language models to train them. Concerns have cropped up as Meta unveils its AI assistants across platforms like Facebook and Instagram. There have been legal challenges to this: in 2016, legislation was created to protect personal data in the EU, and similar laws are in the works in the United States. Misinformation - As AI tools pulls information from the Internet, they may take things out of context or suffer hallucinations that produce nonsensical answers. Tools like Copilot on Bing and Google's generative AI in search are always at risk of getting things wrong. Some critics argue this could have lethal effects - such as AI prescribing the wrong health information. ARN said in response that they were "exploring how new technology can support great content". They added: "We've been trialling AI audio tools on CADA using the voice of Thy, an ARN team member. "This is a space being explored by broadcasters globally, and while the trial has offered valuable insights, it's also reinforced the unique value that personalities bring to creating truly compelling content." Workdays with Thy reportedly attracted at least 72,000 listeners during the show's final month of ratings.
Hindustan Times
26-04-2025
- Entertainment
- Hindustan Times
Australian radio station under fire for using AI host for 6 months without informing listeners
An Australian radio station is facing criticism after it was revealed that a host on air for the past six months was not a real person, but an AI-generated voice, according to a report by the Sydney Morning Herald. (Also read: 'Doctors said arthritis, ChatGPT said cancer': Woman credits AI chatbot for saving her life) CADA, a station under the Australian Radio Network (ARN) broadcasting in Sydney and via the iHeartRadio app, had been airing a programme called Workdays with Thy. The show, which played music for four hours daily from Monday to Friday, featured a seemingly human presenter named 'Thy'. However, according to the outlet, it never disclosed that Thy was an AI voice created using technology from ElevenLabs, a voice-cloning software company. The truth surfaced when Sydney-based writer Stephanie Coombes questioned Thy's identity. In a blog post earlier this month, Coombes wrote: 'What is Thy's last name? Who is she? Where did she come from? There is no biography, or further information about the woman who is supposedly presenting this show.' Her suspicions led to an audio analysis that revealed identical voice patterns in repeated phrases like 'old school'. As per a report by Independent, following the revelation, ARN project leader Fayed Tohme acknowledged in a now-deleted LinkedIn post that Thy was indeed an AI creation. 'No mic, no studio, just code and vibes,' he wrote. 'An experiment by ARN and ElevenLabs that's fluently pushing the boundaries of what 'live radio' even means.' Tohme also claimed that despite being artificial, Thy 'sounds real' and 'has real fans'. While there are currently no Australian regulations specifically banning the use of AI in broadcast media, the lack of disclosure has drawn backlash from within the industry. 'They should have been upfront and completely honest, disclosing that the radio host was an AI,' said Teresa Lim, vice president of the Australian Association of Voice Actors, in a statement to Mediaweek. 'People have been deceived into thinking it's a real person because there's no AI labelling.' In response to the controversy, ARN stated: 'We've been trialling AI audio tools on CADA using the voice of Thy, an ARN team member.' The network added, 'This is a space being explored by broadcasters globally, and while the trial has offered valuable insights, it's also reinforced the unique value that personalities bring to creating truly compelling content.'
Yahoo
25-04-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Australian radio station secretly used an AI host for six months
An Australian radio station is facing backlash after using an AI-generated host for the last six months without disclosing it. Australian Radio Network's CADA station, which broadcasts in Sydney and on the iHeartRadio app, created a host called Thy using artificial intelligence software developed by voice cloning firm ElevenLabs. The Workdays with Thy show presented music for four hours a day from Monday to Friday, but did not mention on its website or promotional materials that Thy was not a real person. 'If your day is looking a bit bleh, let Thy and CADA be the energy and vibe to get your mood lifted,' the show's page states. Thy's true identity only emerged after Sydney-based writer Stephanie Coombes questioned whether Thy was a real person. In blog post earlier this month, Ms Coombes wrote: 'What is Thy's last name? Who is she? Where did she come from? There is no biography, or further information about the woman who is supposedly presenting this show.' Audio analysis of voice clips revealed that the host sounded identical when saying the words 'old school' across different shows. ARN project leader Fayed Tohme subsequently acknowledged the use of AI to create the voice of Thy, writing in a since-deleted LinkedIn post that Thy 'sounds real' and has real fans, despite not being a real person. 'No mic, no studio, just code and vibes,' he wrote in the post, which was shared by Mediaweek. 'An experiment by ARN and ElevenLabs that's pushing the boundaries of what 'live radio' even means.' There are currently no rules against the use of AI in broadcast content, according to the Australian Communications and Media Authority, however the Australian Radio Network was criticised for not disclosing the use of AI on one of its regular shows. 'They should have been upfront and completely honest, disclosing that the radio host was an AI,' Teresa Lim, vice president of the Australian Association of Voice Actors, told Mediaweek. 'People have been deceived into thinking it's a real person because there's no AI labelling.' ARN said in a statement that it was 'exploring how new technology can support great content' and improve its output. 'We've been trialling AI audio tools on CADA using the voice of Thy, an ARN team member,' the statement read. 'This is a space being explored by broadcasters globally, and while the trial has offered valuable insights, it's also reinforced the unique value that personalities bring to creating truly compelling content.' Sign in to access your portfolio
