This is part of a series about how radio organizations are employing tools based in artificial intelligence.
Jamie Aplin is founder and CEO of CreativeReady. Founded in 2013, it describes its products as “your ultimate toolkit for radio advertising success.”
RW: Have the predictions about the impact of generative AI in radio been met?
Aplin: I would say the impact has been even greater than expected. Generative AI has completely transformed how radio groups approach production, especially when it comes to creating spec spots and commercials. The amount of time they’re saving, until now, was simply unheard of.
I can still remember the first time, almost two years ago, when a producer told me, “What used to take me 45 minutes, now takes me 3.” That’s when I knew we were onto something huge. We weren’t just improving their workflow, we were changing the entire process.
RW: Which CreativeReady products and services use AI-based technologies?
Aplin: Our primary AI-powered product is Spec-Mate. It uses advanced AI to help build your script, voice and produce customized radio commercials, dramatically reducing production time while helping teams create high-quality spots faster and more efficiently.
We’re also expanding AI into the music side of our business. We’re developing AI-generated “Singables,” aka jingles, along with audio logos and sonic identifiers. Since musical branding is what CreativeReady is best known for, bringing AI into this space is a natural next step for us.
RW: How do people pay for them?
Aplin: Spec-Mate is available through a simple monthly subscription. There are no hidden fees or confusing licensing terms, just clear, predictable pricing that gives users access to all of Spec-Mate’s features. It’s scalable too. This way you’re only paying for what you need.
We’ve intentionally designed our pricing to fit broadcasters of all sizes. Whether you’re a single standalone station or part of a large group with over 100 markets, there’s a subscription tier that works. Our goal is to make these time-saving tools accessible to every team that needs them regardless of size or budget.
RW: Where are your tools finding the most uptake?
Aplin: The most significant is in commercial production. AI is being used every day by sales teams and producers to quickly generate spec spots and even broadcast-ready commercials. It takes care of the repetitive, time-consuming parts of the process, allowing creative teams to focus on strategy, storytelling and building client relationships.
While our focus is on radio advertising and creative production, we’re seeing AI adoption across the board: sales prospecting, social content creation, podcast editing, even video and design. The potential really is quite broad, but for us, the biggest impact so far has been where stations feel the daily pressure: fast, high-quality production.
RW: Your website states that you’ve combined the speed of AI with the creativity of human copywriters. What is the human aspect?
Aplin: This is what gives Spec-Mate its edge. While the AI handles speed and scale, the creative thinking behind each commercial comes from our experienced, professional copywriters. They’ve developed the voice, tone and structure that guide Spec-Mate’s output, ensuring the results feel human, not robotic.
This is a key difference between Spec-Mate and most other AI spot builders. We don’t expect AI to be creative; it isn’t. But it is fast. So we’ve combined the best of both worlds: human creativity and AI efficiency. That’s what allows Spec-Mate to generate creative, client-specific commercials in seconds without sacrificing quality.
RW: What questions or concerns do you get from users interested in your tools?
Aplin: The most common are around creative control and authenticity, things like “Will this sound robotic?” or “Will it feel generic?” We address that by showing users how Spec-Mate works.
It’s not a one-size-fits-all output generator. It’s built with customization and flexibility in mind, so users can shape the tone, style and messaging to suit each client. Once people hear how natural and creative the results can be, those concerns usually fade quickly.
Another concern we hear is around job security. There’s no sugarcoating it: AI is going to change roles in this industry. But it won’t replace the people who are willing to learn and adapt. If anything, it gives them a major edge.
My biggest encouragement is to lean into it. Learn the tools, understand how they work, and use them to get more done in less time. Spec-Mate was designed to help your production and sales staff, not replace them.
RW: What are the underlying models?
Aplin: Spec-Mate is powered by large language models or LLMs, similar to ChatGPT but fine-tuned for radio advertising. These models are designed to understand the unique structure, tone and pacing of radio ads. And they continue to evolve to keep up with industry trends.
On the voice side, we’re working with the industry’s top AI voice providers. Truth is, most AI tools are working with the same foundational tech. What sets Spec-Mate apart is our user interface/experience. We were intentional about designing a UI/UX that’s simple, intuitive and fast, qualities that have always defined our brand. Based on feedback from our users, we’ve nailed that balance better than most.
RW: How will AI technologies evolve further?
Aplin: From where I sit in the creative and audio production space, we’ll continue to see big improvements in voice synthesis, especially around emotional nuance and realism. That means more natural-sounding commercials with less post-production work.
I also think we’ll see AI tools become even more responsive to user intent, making it easier to generate highly personalized audio quickly.
As for other areas of radio, I can’t speak with authority, but if there’s time to be saved or workflows to streamline, someone’s either building or about to build a tool to do just that. The momentum behind AI in this industry isn’t slowing down, it’s accelerating. The key is figuring out how to integrate it in a way that supports your team.
RW: What else should we know?
Aplin: I’ll say it again, AI in radio isn’t about replacing people, it’s about helping them do their jobs better. It takes the repetitive, time-consuming tasks off your plate so you can focus on what really matters: creative thinking, strategy and building strong client relationships.
That said, the technology is moving fast, and it’s not slowing down. I’m not suggesting we throw all caution to the wind, but I do recommend taking an informed, practical look at what AI can do for you and your team. You can set the pace. You can set the boundaries. But digging your heels in and saying “no” isn’t really an option anymore. The opportunities are here; it’s just a matter of whether or not you’re willing to explore them with an open mind.
[Read More Radio World Stories About Artificial Intelligence]
