Artificial intelligence (AI) is reshaping one of the world’s most enduring and beloved media, both behind the scenes and in the habits of audiences.
The impact of AI on content creation is already clear across the broadcasting industry. Time-saving tools are accelerating the journey from conception to production. Many broadcasting organizations are leveraging AI across multiple processes, spanning ideation, content preparation, processing, editing and metadata extraction.
The European Broadcasting Union (EBU) aims to keep pace with technological advances, make them accessible to non-technical staff, and ensure alignment with public service values. The Technology & Innovation team facilitates collaboration among EBU members through initiatives like EuroVOX, which provides workflows for AI-based transcription, translation and voice synthesis.
The networked newsroom, “A European Perspective,” enables supports multilingual exchanges of news content, fostering a truly connected European media landscape.
The transformation ahead
AI is a tremendous enabler. But we must also recognize its potential as a disruptor, poised to change how producers connect with audiences as well as how audiences then engage with content.
This does not mean live and liner radio is over. It remains widely consumed in the age of mobile technologies and smart portable devices. Recent environmental disasters have further underscored the enduring need for broadcast radio to inform and connect citizens when mobile networks fail.
This trusted and accessible medium remains a good companion in modern life.
Yet we can expect big changes in the way it connects with listeners.
Listeners leaning forward
Advanced voice-based digital assistants combine the broad knowledge and reasoning of large language models (LLMs) with domain-specific data sources and natural speech capabilities. With sophisticated conversational AI, they far exceed the limitations of earlier voice technologies.
This breakthrough is obvious in connected vehicles. Drivers can adjust temperature, schedule appointments, or find nearby points of interest without removing their hands from the wheel.
But what happens when drivers ask for their favourite music station, inquire about sports results, seek the latest local news, or simply want entertainment during their commute?
The AI-based conversational interface will let listeners “lean forward” and shape their own experience, rather than just “lean back” and passively absorb what a station provides.
From channel-centric to content-centric
For example, rather than going straight to a familiar station, audiences may seek out the content they want at any point, sometimes turning up unexpected discoveries.
But for stations, this creates brand loyalty and recognition challenges, entailing the need for continuous, upfront attribution.
The ability to personalize content recommendations – while generating data points for device manufacturers and AI developers – tends to provide less immediate value for content producers.
This is not to say broadcast radio is over. The emergence of “smart speakers” prompted similar predictions of radical transformation, which proved premature. Research shows these devices in wide use for live linear radio, along with occasional weather queries.
However, this time may be different.
Why this time is different
Some converging factors suggest a more profound transformation ahead:
- Advanced conversational capabilities: LLMs and conversational models enable genuine dialogue rather than structured command execution.
- Changing consumption habits: The rise of short-form, bite-sized content aligns with AI-driven discovery.
- Richer metadata: Detailed content tagging enables more precise AI recommendations.
- Industry evolution: Device manufacturers increasingly seek active roles in the content journey.
- User expectations: Audiences now expect seamless, intelligent interactions with their devices.
Implications for broadcasters
For broadcasters, just like for content producers, these changes present both opportunities and challenges. Either way, success will require proactive engagement.
Firstly, content formats need to align with AI-driven discovery, with content producers providing richer metadata. While metadata publishing lacks a well-defined single path for distribution, the adoption of open industry standards can boost results across numerous platforms.
Secondly, content producers and broadcasters must ensure attribution where the content is consumed, not just within the content itself. Maintaining brand identity is key.
Both these aims depend on collaboration with technology providers. Broadcasters, for their part, will continue shaping the understanding of what radio “is” among audiences.
Guidance for the radio future
The International Telecommunication Union (ITU) and its Radiocommunication Sector (ITU-R) are studying how AI can support programme production, quality assessment, and content assembly, while also optimizing radio transmission efficiency.
ITU Study Group 6, dedicated to broadcasting services, continues exploring emerging technologies and applications for radio stations. These are part of an updated ITU-R “vision for the future of broadcasting” that includes AI applications across the content production and delivery chain
The resulting use cases, technical maturity assessments and internationally harmonized guidance can help radio broadcasters deploy AI responsibly and interoperably.
AI offers unprecedented opportunities to enhance radio’s reach, accessibility, and relevance. Yet the fundamental values that have sustained radio for over a century – immediacy, intimacy, and reliability – remain as vital as ever.
World Radio Day 2026 reminds us that AI is a tool to amplify human voices.
The question isn’t whether AI will transform radio, but how we as broadcasters will shape that transformation. By embracing these technologies thoughtfully and strategically, we can position broadcast radio to inform, entertain, and connect communities for generations to come.
Source: https://www.itu.int/hub/2026/02/ai-ready-radio-moves-from-channels-to-conversations/
