Artificial intelligence is now being used to program and voice a DAB+ channel in Germany.
As far as Radio World is aware, this is the first over-the-air radio broadcast station in the world to be programmed and voiced full-time with artificial intelligence.
Antenne Deutschland has put its Absolut Radio AI format on the air on a local DAB multiplex in the area of Braunschweig in north-central Germany. It’s between the cities of Hannover and Magdeburg. Volkswagen’s headquarters and factory are in nearby Wolfsburg.
The AI format, which uses technology from Radio.Cloud, which Antenne Deutschland launched earlier this year in an online streamed version featuring a synthetic voice called kAI. Using parameters set up in advance by the broadcaster, the AI creates a schedule, programs the breaks and voices all of the on-air elements.
The broadcast in Braunschweig will be a version of that stream with its own imaging and local weather and news content.
[Read more stories about the use of AI in radio.]
“The city of Hannover is called the place in Germany where the clearest German is spoken,” said Managing Director Mirko Drenger. “So it’s fun that we start with an AI host there. DAB+ is very successful in Germany and we’re waiting for an opportunity to put it on a nationwide broadcast slot.”
There are two platforms for national DAB+ in Germany, each with 16 stations. Antenne Deutschland runs one of the two platforms and six of those stations; it also has many online audio streams.
The image below shows coverage of the local multiplex. The new AI channel becomes the 15th carried on this multiplex.
