This AI app will turn your reading list into a podcast with digital hosts

Podcasts can be a great way to learn complex subjects, but not everything you’re reading has been discussed in an episode. AI audio maker ElevenLabs is solving that with a new feature that reshapes documents you upload into an audio show with virtual hosts discussing the subject matter. The newGenFM feature is part of the ElevenLabs Reader App and will turn any mix of PDFs, articles, and digital books into your own personal podcast episodes.

The new feature shares many similarities with Google NotebookLM, which uses Google Gemini AI models to turn documents into podcast-style shows where synthetic personalities discuss whatever you’ve uploaded to each other. As with Google’s feature, GenFM analyzes the information you upload and produces a synthetic podcast with two AI co-hosts discussing the material. GenFM even attempts to match the voices to the topic under discussion.

If you’re an auditory learner or need to absorb information while doing other things, GenFM is likely to appeal to you. That said, while GenFM restricts itself to the documents you upload, you’ll likely still want to be wary of any accidental hallucinations or misunderstood data. You can see and hear some examples in the demo video below.

AI podcast future

Though GenFM and Google NotebookLM are pursuing the same kind of product, ElevenLabs’ AI-generated podcast efforts are a step beyond Google’s. NotebookLM is currently limited to the web and can only make shows in English. In contrast, GenFM’s AI hosts can converse in 32 languages. Still, both tools cater to more diverse ways of learning and lifestyles.

The potential demand from students alone will likely justify the work behind GenFM. And, unlike some other ways AI composition tools are used in academia, this doesn’t raise ethical questions about cheating or plagiarism. They also increase accessibility to those with impaired vision who don’t want to hear a long document read out when they could hear a podcast about it. They also democratize access to information, enabling individuals with visual impairments or reading difficulties to engage with content more easily.

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