AI DJ Hosted an Australian Radio Show for Months — and No One Noticed

For several months, Australian radio station CADA aired a show hosted by a generative AI voice — without informing the audience. The program, titled “Workdays with Thy,” runs four hours a day and features a mix of hip-hop, R&B, and pop music.

The voice and persona of host Thy were created using ElevenLabs and modeled after a staff member from the finance department at ARN Media, CADA’s parent company. The station’s website makes no mention of the host being a digital avatar. The program description states that the music is curated by experts but doesn’t disclose who is behind the mic.

The show launched on CADA’s website in November 2024 and currently reaches over 72,000 listeners per week. Theresa Lim, Vice President of the Australian Voice Artists Association, criticized the lack of transparency: “Australian listeners deserve honesty and openness — not to be misled by a fictional character.”

ARN Media says it continues to explore the potential of the technology. The company’s CEO noted that the project helped them better understand the power of voices on air.

Some commenters pointed out that automated DJs have existed for years. Others joked that no one noticed the AI because hardly anyone listens to the station anyway.