iHeartRadio Will Not ‘Play AI Music That Features Synthetic Vocalists’ And Launches ‘Guaranteed Human’ Program – AfroTech

iHeartRadio is making its stance loud and clear when it comes to AI’s use on its platform.

According to Billboard, Tom Poleman, iHeartRadio’s chief programming officer and president, said in a letter that the company will not be using AI-generated personalities or “play AI music that features synthetic vocalists pretending to be human.” Additionally, its podcasts published will follow this new program, “Guaranteed Human,” as well.

“…iHeart is one of the last truly human entertainment sources and our listeners come to us for companionship, connection, and authenticity — something AI can’t replicate,” Poleman said.

The announcement comes at a time when AI artists are making waves in the music industry, including Solomon Ray, an AI-generated “Mississippi-made soul singer,” with an EP called “A Soulful Christmas,” Christian Today reports. Christopher “Topher” Townsend, a conservative Hip-Hop artist, is the human behind Solomon Ray. The AI artist he created has garnered more than 324,000 monthly listeners and was featured as the No. 1 artist on iTunes’ top 100 Christian and gospel albums chart, according to the outlet.

Additionally, Xania Monet is another AI-generated artist making its way up the charts. As AFROTECH™ previously told you, Xania Monet was created by Mississippi poet and design studio owner Telisha Jones, who wrote the lyrics for the artist’s hits, such as “Let Go, Let God” and “How Was I Supposed to Know,” but used Suno to create the music and voice. Xania Monet is signed to a multi-million-dollar deal with Hallwood Media.

While Xania Monet is certainly getting play on airways across various radio stations throughout the U.S., this won’t be the case at iHeart Media. Poleman shared that AI is embraced at iHeart solely for productivity and distribution tools to further business operations, per Billboard.

iHeart will be launching its “Guaranteed Human” program in response to AI’s increased use in the music industry.

“Sweeper — To augment our legal IDs, we also want you to create fun, nonchalant sweepers that fit your station’s vibe and reinforce that we’re Guaranteed Human. Sweepers should end with the words ‘Guaranteed Human.’ Drop them in every hour, between songs or talk content where it feels natural. Many stations will also start these on Monday, with others ramping up in the following weeks,” Poleman explained in the letter, per Billboard.

He wrote that 90% of consumers are seeking media from real humans.

“‘Guaranteed Human’ is a core part of our brand,” Poleman mentioned in the letter, according to the outlet. “You’ll hear it in our imaging, and we want listeners to feel it every time they tune in. Remember, this isn’t a tagline — it’s a promise. And it’s part of every station’s personality.”