Discover Google's New AI Experiment: A Daily Podcast Tailored to Your Interests

Google's New AI-Powered Daily Podcasts: Your Personalized Audio Experience

Imagine starting your day with a podcast that's tailored just for you, focusing on the things you're most interested in. That's exactly what Google is offering with its new experimental feature, Daily Listen, now rolling out to iOS and Android users. This innovative service uses AI to create daily podcasts, hosted by two engaging AI bots, based on your searches and the stories that pop up in your Discover feed.

How Does Daily Listen Work?

Google dives into your search history and the news you usually see in your Discover feed to craft a unique five-minute podcast for you each day. According to The Verge, you can control your listening experience with scrubber controls that allow you to play, pause, mute, or skip to different stories. Plus, if you're more of a reader, a text transcript is available so you can follow along or catch up at your own pace.

"Hey there, and welcome to your Daily Listen, a new experimental audio show by Google," one of the AI hosts cheerfully introduces in a trailer for the podcast. "We're your hosts, powered by AI and prepared to deliver a quick update each day exclusively for you. It's personalized to your interests, so we'll cover the topics you follow and the things you search often. The show features info from across the web and will include related stories so you can easily keep exploring."

A Google Labs Experiment

Daily Listen is part of Google Labs, the company's playground for testing out new AI technologies. If this sounds a bit familiar, it's because Google's NotebookLM already uses a similar concept where AI bots co-host a podcast based on your personal notes and research. Interestingly, the same two AI hosts from NotebookLM bring their charm to Daily Listen, making your daily update feel like a chat with old friends.

How to Get Started with Daily Listen

The feature officially launched on Thursday, but you might need to wait a bit to get your hands on it. I was lucky enough to find it on my iPhone and an Android phone I use. To see if it's available for you, open the Google app on your iOS or Android device or visit the Google website on your phone. Look for the test tube icon at the top, tap it, find the card for Daily Listen, and toggle the switch to start seeing the podcast in the Google app from the next day. Every time you open the app, you'll be greeted with a fresh podcast tailored to your recent searches and the latest stories from your Discover feed.

Right now, Daily Listen is exclusively available in the Google app, in English, and within the US. Since these podcasts are AI-generated, Google warns that you might encounter the occasional inaccuracy or audio hiccup. As this is an early test phase, they're eager for your feedback to help refine and enhance the feature.

So, if you're looking to start your day with a personalized audio update, keep an eye out for Daily Listen in your Google app. It's like having your own daily news show, crafted just for you!