A.I. Doesn’t Know U

Let’s chat about how A.I. and the one thing it really can’t do to help you be successful.

The three best areas for content for any show, regardless of format, are pop culture (pop = popular = familiar), local, and character development (you!).

A.I. is marvelous at getting you the latest on topical news items and can even shrink them down to bite size.  A.I. can even write your teases, name things, and be somewhat creative.  A.I. will have no problem, with the right prompt, to curate local topics and references.

But what A.I. cannot do is reflect your life or teach you how to tell your stories to the audience, so you connect with them.  And that connection is the key that unlocks every door to your forming a relationship with listeners.

What is character development?  It comes from two areas:  be honest discussing a topic.  That means no concocted points-of-view to create phony conflict.  If I tell you golf is stupid or that Diddy deserves to be in prison with no parole and mean it, I’ll convey to you something about me that will teach you who I am.  If the tone with which I deliver that message is fun or serious, then you’ll get my vibe.

But the best character content comes when you share stories about your life the typical listener can identify with.  If they say “yea, me, too” then it’s a win.  And only you can generate those by having a life and engaging in experiences large and small in your market to find them.

Stories are essential to connect with others.  That’s why country music is so beloved.  Every song is a story, and any songwriter will tell you their imperative is to tell their truth.

In efforts to move your show from being feature-driven to being personality-driven, having those stories fans identify with and see themselves in, will reinforce a bond between you and them that is almost unbreakable.  A.I. cannot get you there.

I ask shows when we start our work what they want listeners to say about their show unaided after we do this for a year.  They all say they want the audience to say they feel like they know them.  That’s a big win.

And no matter how much you use A.I. (free or otherwise), it will never be able to tell your stories in your way.  Because, as the title of this blog says, A.I. Doesn’t Know U.  You have soul, A.I. doesn’t.

Work hard to have a life.  Figure out which experiences will give you stories that will allow pure connection points with the most listeners.  Continue learning how to tell stories better, then do all that.  Because nowhere else in the market can listeners hear your stories, but on your show.

Go use A.I. to make certain tasks doing your show easier.  But understand its limitations today.

When the audience cares about you, they’ll care about your show.  And when you’ve accomplished that, you become something your radio station truly needs and can’t find elsewhere.

Use A.I. for what it does well.  But know that if you can’t truly reveal who you are to the audience, they will never get close to you.  If who you are isn’t part of your content package, A.I. won’t be able to compensate.  Because A.I. doesn’t know U.

While both are important, radio’s substantive wins will now come more from art than science.  Go be an original.