Two-thirds of weekly US podcast listeners would react badly if a favourite host handed the show to an AI-generated copy of themselves, according to questions Edison Research at SSRS added to its Edison Podcast Metrics survey in the first quarter of 2026. Radio Online reported the findings on 30 September.
About a third of respondents said they would feel deceived and a third upset, with 32% choosing skeptical and 28% betrayed. Only 27% picked any positive reaction, such as impressed or optimistic, and 18% said they would not mind either way.
Edison says the rise of AI pushed it to study the question, and ties the result to the bond listeners form with hosts: AI may spread through audio production, but replacing the voice itself is a much harder sell.
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