Creating a Podcast Intro with AI in less than 3 minutes
This is the journey of a guy who wanted to save $80.
Last week we saw how deep the rabbit hole can go when we used generative AI to write actual code to create a working software application.
This week, we’ve got another practical AI application for you, but much quicker and easier.
In we go…
I asked my podcast editor how much for a new intro: voiceover, music, that kind of thing.
“$80 for a real voiceover and music. That’s $40 for the voiceover, and another $40 for the music and license.”
“Or, you could use ElevenLabs to make an AI voiceover, so then it’d be just $40 for the music.”
Ding ding ding, someone said the magic acronym. I’ve played around plenty with audio AI tools, so I instantly set the goal of doing the whole thing with AI and saving myself 80 bucks along the way. We’re talking script writing, music composition, and voice synthesis—the whole shebang, AI style!
Here’s how I did it.
Steps 1 and 2: Crafting the script and creating the music (a simultaneous process)
I started with the two elements simultaneously to save time: the script and the background music.
Step 1: The script
For the script, I turned to ChatGPT and Claude. After some back-and-forth and refinement, I settled on this version from ChatGPT:
"Welcome to 'the AI Experience Hub,' your go-to podcast for exploring the future of AI in design. Join us as we dive into conversations with industry leaders, uncovering the latest trends and insights in building groundbreaking AI application experiences. Crafted by humans, for humans, with the power of AI—let's dive right in!"
This concise version perfectly captured the essence of the podcast.
OK, getting a few sentences from ChatGPT impresses exactly no one at this point—I get it. So how about that music?
Step 2: Creating background music with Suno AI
For the music, I used Suno AI, a groundbreaking AI-powered music generation tool that's poised to revolutionize the music industry. Suno allows users to create original, high-quality music simply by describing the style and mood they want.
Just a year ago, AI-generated music was mostly cacophonous musical gibberish. It was basically unlistenable. But not anymore.
Suno represents a significant leap forward in AI-generated music. Unlike traditional music production, which requires extensive knowledge of instruments, composition, and audio engineering, Suno democratizes music creation. With just a text prompt, anyone can produce professional-sounding tracks in various genres.
Suno’s potential impact on the music industry is profound:
Accessibility: It opens up music creation to those without formal training or expensive equipment.
Efficiency: Composers and producers can quickly generate ideas or backing tracks, streamlining the creative process.
Customization: Businesses and content creators can easily obtain rights-free, tailored music for their projects.
New creative possibilities: The tool can inspire unique compositions by blending genres or creating entirely new sounds.
Disruption of stock music: The ease of creating custom tracks could challenge the traditional stock music industry.
But while Suno and similar AI tools are powerful, they're not replacing human musicians. Instead, they're becoming new instruments in the creative toolkit, augmenting human creativity rather than supplanting it.
For my podcast intro, I prompted Suno with, "Synthwave - Retrowave upbeat podcast intro." The result was a catchy, futuristic tune that perfectly complemented the podcast's theme, created in a fraction of the time it would take to produce or license a similar track traditionally.
Here’s the result:
https://suno.com/song/096f255a-0605-4868-a774-94b4b93fe556
Step 3: Voicing the intro
For the voiceover, I used ElevenLabs, a cutting-edge AI voice synthesis platform. ElevenLabs uses advanced machine learning to generate highly realistic and customizable voice content. After trying a few voices, I went with "Bill." And though Bill’s voice still has a slightly robotic quality (especially in the speech cadence), I thought it fitting for an AI-focused podcast.
Here’s the result:
Step 4: Combining the audio
The final step was to combine the background music and voiceover.
For this, I used Kapwing, a free online video editor that also handles audio mixing. It was pretty straightforward. I pretty much just dropped in the two audio clips, slid them left or right a bit for the timing, and then adjusted each one’s volume to get the right blend.
The result
The entire process—from writing the script to generating music, voicing the intro, and combining the audio—took under 3 minutes. Seriously.
And the end product is a professional-sounding podcast intro that captures the essence of "The AI Experience Hub."
Here it is:
Recap
So yeah, it only took me a few minutes and saved me $80, FTW. I also like the scrappiness of it, especially for a podcast all about the power of AI. Seems appropriate.
I’m chalking this one up as another AI win. In the time it takes to microwave a burrito, I whipped up a pro-level podcast intro that would've typically involved several people, lots of back-and-forth emails, and real hard-earned cash. Is this the AI productivity boost Wall Street has been talking about?
And once again we see, it’s not the AI overlords pulling the strings. All those prompts, tweaks, and "Nah, that's not quite right" moments? That was still a flesh-and-blood human! So we're not just backseat button-pushers—we're the conductors of this AI orchestra.
Claude's first attempt was about as on-point as a drunk karaoke singer, but that's the beauty of this whole process. We get to cherry-pick the good stuff and then polish it until it shines.
Thank you for reading.
I asked ChatGPT to write lyrics and play a song only for you:
(Verse)
Thanks for the read, you’re the best,
Podcast intros, you’ve aced the test.
With AI’s groove, we’ve set the vibe,
Podcast intros come alive.
(Chorus)
Big thanks, big shout,
For hanging out.
Podcast intros, you rock,
You make us whole.
Plot twist: We're launching a podcast!
Surprise! If you haven't put two and two together yet, all this AI podcast intro wasn't just for kicks. We're launching "The AI Experience Hub" podcast! It's your front-row ticket to the AI revolution in design, packed with chats with industry bigwigs and insider tips on crafting mind-blowing AI experiences.
Stick around for our debut episode, where we'll spill all the tea on how we cooked up this podcast with our AI sous-chefs. Trust me, it's gonna be wilder than a rollercoaster ride through the metaverse.
So, what's your take on this AI content creation madness? Have you dipped your toes in these digital waters? Spill your guts in the comments below! And hey, while you're at it, hit that subscribe button for "The AI Experience Hub." Your ears will thank you for all the AI and design goodness coming their way!