AI-generated content

The Human Signal: What Becomes Valuable in AI Creation Era | Jaymi Bauer #682

~ Rob Greenlee ~ Leave a comment

New Media Show with Podcast Hall of Famer Rob Greenlee and Guest Jaymi Bauer. Jaymi is CEO and co-founder of Vaquera Group, creator of Resonance Design, and founder of a new women’s vitality venture called Reign.Care.When AI content becomes abundant, what becomes scarce?

In Episode #682 of the New Media Show, Host, Rob Greenlee talks with growth and brand strategist Jaymi Bauer. Jaymi is CEO and co-founder of Vaquera Group, creator of Resonance Design, and founder of a new women’s vitality venture called Reign.Care.

She and Rob previously worked together at Microsoft during the Zune and Xbox eras, giving both a long view of how technology continually reshapes media and human behavior.

The conversation is not anti-AI. It is about understanding where AI is powerful and where human creators may still have the advantage.

The Human Signal

Jaymi states that humans feel trust before they intellectually recognize it. We respond to tone, presence, energy, emotion, authenticity, and whether something feels genuine.  AI can increasingly reproduce human language, imagery, voices, and creative patterns, but Jaymi believes audiences will continue seeking something deeper: content rooted in real human experience.

Her advice to creators is simple: Become better at AI while becoming even more human. AI as Amplifier, Not the Source

Rob and Jaymi explore AI as a creative and production layer rather than the original source of meaning.

AI can:

Research faster
Organize ideas
Improve production
Expand visual possibilities
Help creators distribute content
Personalize discovery
Build new interactive experiences

But the strongest output still begins with a strong human seed: an idea, experience, perspective, story, or creative intention.

Jaymi shares her experience of heavily using AI on a book proposal. The result was polished, but she felt it had become hollow and disconnected from her own creative voice. That became a reminder that efficiency does not automatically create resonance.

Why Human Content May Become Premium

As synthetic media becomes harder to distinguish from human-created media, Rob raises the possibility that creators may eventually label content as human-hosted or human-created, rather than simply labeling AI content.

Jaymi believes genuine human interaction may eventually feel more valuable precisely because it becomes less common.

That could increase the value of:

Live conversations
Human-created storytelling
Live music and events
Real relationships
Distinctive personal perspectives
Physical experiences
Trusted communities

The future may not be human versus AI. It may be human creativity amplified by AI.

Creators Need AI Literacy

Jaymi strongly advises creators not to ignore AI. Her view is that creators should learn the tools, experiment with them, understand their limitations, and explore what they make possible. But they also need stronger critical thinking and editorial judgment.

Rob and Jaymi discuss how experienced professionals may have an advantage here because they have lived through multiple cycles in technology, media, business, and the economy.

Knowing when AI is wrong, when to stop refining, what matters, and what audiences actually value may become increasingly important skills.

AI Changes Discovery Too. AI is not only creating content. It is increasingly sitting between creators and audiences.

Rob discusses how platforms such as YouTube use AI to analyze media, understand content, personalize recommendations, and decide who should see what.

That means creators are entering an environment where AI may influence:

Creation
Editing
Distribution
Metadata
Search
Recommendations
Audience targeting
Personalization

The creator still provides the human idea, but AI increasingly shapes how that idea reaches the world.

A More Interactive Media Future

The conversation also explores AI-powered audience participation. Rob describes emerging platforms where synthetic personalities, expert knowledge bases, and human audience members can participate in shared conversations.

Instead of traditional one-way media, future shows could include creators, audiences, and AI agents discussing topics together.

That could make podcasts, livestreams, sports media, education, and communities considerably more interactive.

Discussion Highlights
-What Jaymi means by the “human signal”
-Why trust is often felt before it is understood
-AI-generated media versus human-created media
-Why creators should become “superhuman,” not anti-AI
-AI as a creative amplifier
-The importance of critical thinking and editorial judgment
-Why AI-generated work can feel polished but hollow
-How experienced professionals can work effectively with AI
-AI’s growing role in discovery and recommendation
-Personal LLMs and creator knowledge models
-Human and AI participants inside future media experiences
-Why live and human-created experiences could become premium
-The possibility of labeling media as human-hosted
-Creativity, trust, and relationships as long-term advantages

Chapter Markers

00:00 Why the human signal matters
01:32 Introducing Jaymi Bauer
02:48 What is the human signal?
05:35 Can AI reproduce human connection?
09:15 Staying human while using AI
11:22 Collective AI knowledge versus individual human knowledge
13:30 Why audiences may eventually reject synthetic sameness
16:04 Will AI-generated entertainment satisfy us?
18:35 AI as a new creative tool
21:05 Lessons from Xbox and immersive media
23:10 Why gamers still want human creativity
25:10 How humans remain valuable
26:38 The dystopian side of AI
28:10 Could AI eventually give humans more freedom?
30:05 Creativity as a human advantage
31:15 Why creators need AI literacy
33:15 Becoming “superhuman”
34:25 Jaymi’s AI-generated book proposal mistake
36:00 Using AI as a first draft
37:20 Better prompts start with better human thinking
38:25 When AI becomes inefficient
40:20 Humans as AI tutors and experts
42:15 What happens when AI gains real-world experience?
45:10 Human truth and durable brands
48:10 AI becomes the discovery layer
51:00 Personal LLMs and expert AI models
52:20 AI-powered audience participation
55:00 Humans and AI in the same conversation
57:10 AI companionship and relationships
59:55 Will human-created media become premium?
01:01:05 Hybrid human and AI production
01:03:10 Where to find Jaymi
01:04:00 Jaymi’s new vitality venture
01:05:40 Closing thoughts

Jaymi Bauer Guest Links:

Jaymi Bauer on Substack
https://jaymibauer1.substack.com

“The Human Signal”
https://jaymibauer1.substack.com/p/the-human-signal

Vaquera Group
https://vaquera.co

Reign
https://reign.care

About the Host:  Rob Greenlee is a 2017 Podcast Hall of Fame inductee, Chair of the Podcast Hall of Fame, founder of Trust Factor Lab, and longtime new-media executive, creator, strategist, and industry leader.

Through The New Media Show, Rob explores the changing intersection of podcasting, video, creator-led media, artificial intelligence, platforms, audience ownership, trust, monetization, and the future of human-created media.

Host and Show Links

New Media Show
https://newmediashow.com

New Media Show on YouTube
https://youtube.com/@TheNewMediaShow

Rob Greenlee
https://robgreenlee.com

Rob Greenlee on LinkedIn
https://www.linkedin.com/in/robgreenlee

Podcast Hall of Fame
https://podcasthall.com

AI Disclosure

AI tools were used to assist with organizing and editing to remove filler words; this episode description was created from the completed full transcript of episode #682. The recorded conversation, human performances, perspectives, editorial direction, and final responsibility for the episode remain with Rob Greenlee and Jaymi Bauer. The New Media Show is human-hosted.

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The Future of Media | Leo Laporte, TWiT.tv #672

~ Rob Greenlee ~ Leave a comment

In Episode 672 of the New Media Show, host 2017 Podcast Hall of Famer Rob Greenlee welcomes Leo Laporte, founder and owner of the TWiT Podcast Network, longtime technology broadcaster, and 2015 Podcast Hall of Famer. 

He launched TWiT in 2005 and built one of the earliest independent technology media networks around a simple idea: make strong shows, distribute them everywhere the audience wants to watch or listen, and build a real relationship with the people who return every week.

Leo has spent decades at the center of the shift from broadcast radio and cable television into online shows, podcasts, livestreams, video, and creator-led media. 

This conversation looks at where that model is heading now.

The word “podcast” helped define an era of downloadable audio, RSS feeds, and iPods. Today, audiences find shows through YouTube, Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Netflix, social platforms, livestreams, clips, newsletters, and communities.

Most viewers or listeners do not care how a show is technically delivered. They care whether it is easy to find, worth their attention, and made by people they trust.

Rob and Leo discuss why the technical barrier to starting a show has fallen so far, while the challenge of creating meaningful content has never gone away. Anyone can publish.

Building a show that earns repeat attention takes perspective, consistency, subject knowledge, and a genuine relationship with an audience.

Leo reflects on TWiT’s early video strategy, its experiments with live 24/7 programming, and the importance of creating a sense of place around a media brand.

Video can deepen audience connection, while audio remains one of the most personal forms of media because it travels with listeners through daily life.

The discussion also explores the growing complexity of distribution and measurement. Audio and video are increasingly becoming one media experience, yet advertisers still face fragmented metrics across RSS, YouTube, streaming platforms, and social video.

Rob and Leo talk about Apple HLS video, the gap between download metrics and actual consumption, the limitations of existing IAB measurement standards, and why advertiser confidence still often comes down to audience fit and trusted host-read relationships.

A strong audience relationship has more long-term value than a number on a dashboard that may not fully reflect who watched, listened, responded, or bought.

Leo also shares his view that AI is a major structural technology transition. TWiT has expanded its coverage through Intelligent Machines, looking at AI, robotics, and the impact these tools will have on work, media, and daily life.

AI can help creators research, edit, generate visuals, improve production workflows, translate content, and extend the usefulness of existing media. It can also generate massive volumes of generic content, clone voices, and make it harder for audiences to know what is real.

Rob and Leo discuss whether clearly identified and certified human-led media may become more valuable as synthetic content becomes harder to distinguish from authentic work. They agree that human perspective, lived experience, spontaneity, and community will continue to matter deeply in a media environment crowded with automated output.

The episode closes with a look at the next generation of media habits. Leo points to the rise of short-form scrolling, social video, and new creator business models, while also making the case for long-form conversations and communities that bring people together instead of pushing them further apart.

For creators and media companies, the path forward is still clear: build work that people value, meet the audience where they are, stay flexible as platforms change, and create relationships strong enough to survive the next technology shift.

Topic Chapter Time Stamp Markers:

00:00 — Welcome to The New Media Show Episode 672
Rob Greenlee introduces Leo Laporte and sets up the episode around online new media, podcasting, video, AI, and where media is heading next.

02:15 — Leo Laporte Joins the Conversation
Leo reflects on how long he and Rob have been part of the early era of podcasting and online media.

02:45 — Is It Still New Media?
Rob and Leo discuss whether “new media” still works as a term, and why podcasting may now be part of a much larger media category.

03:30 — Why Leo Wanted to Call Podcasts “Netcasts”
Leo explains why he resisted the term “podcast” early on and why he still thinks creators are really making shows.

04:35 — Podcasting Beyond the Download
The conversation moves into YouTube, Netflix, Spotify, RSS, streaming, and why the audience cares more about access than the delivery format.

05:25 — Be Everywhere the Audience Wants You
Leo explains one of TWiT’s core decisions: distribute content wherever listeners and viewers want to consume it.

06:10 — Discovery Is the New Challenge
Podcasting is easier to access than ever, but harder to discover because audiences now have millions of choices.

07:35 — Why Starting Is Easy but Building a Show Is Hard
Leo explains that technical barriers have fallen, but the real challenge remains content, authenticity, and audience connection.

09:20 — Talent, Audience, and the Return of Media Gatekeeping
Rob and Leo discuss whether attention is consolidating again around fewer large creators and channels.

10:25 — Audience Size vs Real Business Value
Leo separates building an audience from building a media business and explains why YouTube monetization still requires scale.

11:05 — Radio, Podcasting, and the Early TWiT Model
Leo talks about his radio background, his first podcast from 2004, and how broadcasting and podcasting share the same core idea.

12:05 — The Brick House Studio and Legitimacy
Leo explains why TWiT built a large studio: to show advertisers and audiences that online media could be a serious media business.

13:05 — Video Was Always Part of the Plan
Rob and Leo talk about how TWiT was doing video years before the current “video podcasting” push.

13:40 — Audio Intimacy vs Video Presence
Leo explains why radio creates intimacy, while video adds place, presence, and a different kind of audience relationship.

16:05 — TWiT as a Lean-Back Media Network
Leo describes his early vision for TWiT as a low-cost version of CNN or CNBC for technology coverage.

17:00 — 24/7 Streaming and Live Community
The conversation covers TWiT’s 24/7 stream, live programming, behind-the-scenes feel, and why raw authenticity helped the brand.

18:40 — Why Technology Was the Right Beat
Leo explains why covering technology kept TWiT relevant through major shifts from the iPhone to AI.

20:35 — AI as the Next Major Technology Shift
Leo compares AI to structural technology changes and explains why he sees it as a major long-term shift.

22:20 — From This Week in Google to Intelligent Machines
Leo discusses rebranding a TWiT show around AI and robotics as the center of technology coverage moved.

23:15 — Can AI Create Real Media?
Rob asks Leo about AI-generated content, and Leo explains why he still believes humans will remain central to media creation.

24:20 — AI Tools, Voice Cloning, and Advertising
Leo talks about using AI tools, ElevenLabs voice cloning, and the potential for AI-generated ad reads.

25:25 — Why Human Spontaneity Still Matters
Rob and Leo discuss whether AI clones can capture the same timing, originality, and human presence as real creators.

26:35 — Zune, Apple, Siri, and AI Adoption
A lighter segment on Zune leads into Apple’s AI plans and how mainstream users may begin to understand AI’s practical value.

27:45 — AI Backlash, Jobs, and Human Value
Rob and Leo discuss AI anxiety, job disruption, retraining, and why people need to understand where their human value lies.

29:30 — Will the Word Podcast Survive?
Rob asks whether “podcast” will remain the right term as audiences define the medium more than creators or platforms do.

30:40 — Shows, Creators, and Human Creation
Leo argues that “show” may be the better word and reflects on why humans are naturally driven to create.

33:05 — Apple HLS and the Audio-Video Merge
Rob and Leo discuss Apple HLS, streaming formats, video RSS, audio RSS, and the shift toward combined audio-video experiences.

37:05 — Measurement Across Audio, Video, and Platforms
The conversation turns to the challenge of consistent measurement across RSS, YouTube, Apple, Spotify, and other platforms.

38:20 — Host-Read Ads, Video Ads, and Dynamic Insertion
Leo explains how TWiT handles baked-in host reads, dynamic ad insertion, and the coming shift toward video ad insertion.

39:10 — The Problem with Podcast Metrics
Leo explains why measuring podcast consumption remains messy, especially across corporate networks, mobile listening, and YouTube.

41:10 — Why Attribution Still Falls Short
Rob and Leo discuss why promo codes, attribution links, and dashboards do not fully capture real audience behavior.

43:15 — Trust as the Real Advertising Asset
Leo explains why TWiT’s value to advertisers comes from trusted hosts, engaged audiences, and long-term sponsor relationships.

45:00 — Podcasting 2.0 and Shared Economic Models
Rob introduces the idea of shared value between advertisers, apps, creators, and listeners, and Leo reacts to the concept.

46:15 — Oxford Road, Dan Granger, and New Metrics
Rob brings up Dan Granger’s work around new podcast measurement standards and the 30-second vs 60-second listener discussion.

47:35 — Why Creator-Side Metrics Matter
Leo explains why he is skeptical of advertiser-driven measurement systems and why inflated podcast numbers damaged trust.

49:15 — Subscriptions, Membership, and Reducing Ad Dependence
Leo explains why audience-supported media would be ideal and how TWiT’s paid club fits into the business model.

50:20 — The Art of the Host-Read Ad
Rob and Leo discuss why Leo’s long-form host reads worked, including the value of making ads useful and content-like.

52:45 — Where Media Consumption Is Heading
Rob asks Leo what may come next in media, and Leo points to short-form scrolling, TikTok, Instagram, and changing audience behavior.

54:00 — Leo’s Son, TikTok, and the Next Generation of Media
Leo shares how his son built a major food audience through short-form video and turned it into a restaurant and cookbook business.

55:35 — Long-Form Still Has a Future
Leo argues that long-form shows can still matter if they create value, community, and real connection.

56:45 — Community as the Core of Media
Leo explains why connection and community remain the most important part of media, no matter how platforms change.

57:30 — The Risk of Doom Scrolling
Rob and Leo discuss short-form addiction, dopamine loops, and how constant scrolling can disconnect people from real community.

58:35 — AI Slop and Synthetic Video
The discussion moves to AI-generated video content, fantasy media, and the question of whether audiences will tire of low-quality synthetic output.

59:35 — Human Clones, AI Presence, and Authenticity
Rob asks whether AI versions of creators could extend their presence, and Leo reflects on voice clones, soul, and human perspective.

1:00:35 — Human-Made Media May Become More Important
Rob suggests that labeling human-made content may become more valuable as AI content grows more convincing.

1:01:20 — Remembering Todd Cochrane and Podcast Hall of Fame
Rob and Leo reflect on Todd Cochrane, the Podcast Hall of Fame, and the early podcasting community.

1:03:10 — The Hall of Fame, Dave Winer, and Joe Rogan
Leo and Rob talk about the Podcast Hall of Fame, Dave Winer, Joe Rogan, and recognizing major contributors to podcasting.

1:04:45 — Closing Thoughts and Where to Find the Show
Rob thanks Leo and closes the episode with where to find past episodes and future New Media Show content.

Guest Links: Leo Laporte, Founder and Owner, TWiT Podcast Network

TWiT Podcast Network: https://twit.tv/
Leo Laporte Website: https://leo.fm/
Leo Laporte on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/leo-laporte-8aa224309/
Leo Laporte on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@LeoLaporte
Intelligent Machines: https://twit.tv/shows/intelligent-machines
This Week in Tech: https://twit.tv/shows/this-week-in-tech

Rob Greenlee and New Media Show Links

Rob Greenlee Website: https://robgreenlee.com/
New Media Show: https://newmediashow.com/
New Media Show Audio on Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/new-media-show-audio/id392545649
New Media Show on YouTube: https://youtube.com/@TheNewMediaShow
Rob Greenlee on YouTube: https://youtube.com/@RobGreenlee
Podcast Hall of Fame: https://podcasthall.com/

AI Disclosure Note:

I used AI tools to help organize and edit this episode, description, and generate show notes from the episode transcript. The views, clarifications, responsibility, and industry perspective are mine and my guest’s. This article reflects my editorial direction and the substance of the conversation.

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What Should Creators Disclose When Using AI? | Alberto Betella, RSS.com #670

~ Rob Greenlee ~ Leave a comment

New Media Show with Rob Greenlee and Guest Alberto Betella of RSS.comShould every use of AI in a podcast, video, or creator workflow be disclosed?

A better question is whether AI created the actual substance of what the audience came to hear or watch.

On Episode 670 of the New Media Show, Rob Greenlee is joined by Alberto Betella, co-founder of RSS.com and creator of “Should I Disclose AI?“ 

Is a timely conversation about AI transparency, synthetic media, voice cloning, human trust, and the future of creator-led media.

AI is now helping creators edit video, create captions, translate episodes, generate clips, improve workflows, personalize advertising, and accelerate production. But AI can also generate entire shows, clone voices, imitate experts, create deceptive media, and overwhelm platforms with low-effort content.

The challenge is not simply whether AI was used.

The challenge is understanding when AI use changes what the audience is actually receiving.

Alberto shares his practical “Substance Test” framework for AI disclosure. The central idea is simple: if AI created the core performance, information, expertise, or experience that brought the audience to the content, creators should disclose it. But using AI as a supporting production tool does not necessarily mean the entire episode should be labeled as AI-generated.

Rob and Alberto explore the difficult gray areas: AI-translated episodes, cloned voices reading human-written scripts, AI-written scripts read by humans, platform auto-labeling, watermarking, creator consent, programmatic advertising, AI search, and the future value of human-made media.

They also discuss why disclosure should not be a punishment or a stigma. Transparency can give audiences more context, help platforms manage risk, and allow creators to use AI responsibly without pretending that every use of AI is deceptive or low quality.

The bigger question is whether creators can use AI to make better work while still protecting the human trust, judgment, originality, and relationships that make media meaningful.

Guest:
Alberto Betella: Co-Founder, RSS.com; creator of Should I Disclose AI?

Host:
Rob Greenlee, 2017 Podcast Hall of Fame inductee, New Media Show host, and Chairperson of the Podcast Hall of Fame

AI Use Note:
This episode includes an AI-assisted opening visual and the show notes based on the transcript. The conversation, editorial direction, and analysis are human-led.

Rough Chapter Break Topics:

00:00 Should creators disclose their use of AI?
03:00 Introducing Should I Disclose AI?
06:00 Human imperfection, authenticity, and audience trust
10:00 The difference between AI tools and AI-created substance
15:00 AI translation, cloned voices, and disclosure nuance
22:00 Detection, watermarking, and platform AI labels
26:00 YouTube auto-labeling and the economics of AI content
31:00 Will “human-made” become a premium signal?
33:00 AI-assisted post-production and human creative direction
38:00 Video-first, audio-first, and platform-native content
43:00 Voice cloning, consent, and personalized advertising
47:00 Quality, creator reinvention, and the AI reset
51:00 When AI can create useful new forms of media
56:00 Disclosure without stigma or punishment
57:00 AI search, one-answer systems, and human curation
01:01:00 Prompt literacy, digital likeness, and the future of AI

Guest Links: Alberto Betella

RSS.com: https://rss.com/
Should I Disclose AI?: https://shouldidisclose.ai/
Alberto Betella on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/albertobetella
Should I Disclose AI? on GitHub: https://github.com/albertobeta/shouldidisclose.ai

Rob Greenlee and New Media Show Links

Rob Greenlee Website: https://robgreenlee.com/
New Media Show: https://newmediashow.com/
New Media Show Audio on Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/new-media-show-audio/id392545649
New Media Show on YouTube: https://youtube.com/@TheNewMediaShow
Rob Greenlee on YouTube: https://youtube.com/@RobGreenlee
Podcast Hall of Fame: https://podcasthall.com/

About the Host/Author:
Rob Greenlee is a 2017 Podcast Hall of Fame inductee and Chair, a global new-media leader who bridges podcasting’s human roots and its AI-driven future. As founder of Trust Factor Lab and host of the New Media Show and Spoken Human, Rob helps creators start, grow, monetize, and future-proof their content. He has held leadership roles at Microsoft, Spreaker, Libsyn, StreamYard, Podbean, and PodcastOne, and serves as Chairperson of the Podcast Hall of Fame.

Personal / AI Disclosure Note:
I used AI tools to help organize and edit this video, episode description, and generate show notes from the episode transcript. The views, clarifications, responsibility, and industry perspective are mine and my guest’s. I have been working in podcasting, digital media, and platform adoption for more than two decades, and this article reflects my own position and editorial direction.

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Can Human Creators Still Win in an AI-Flooded Media World? | Rob Walch #669

~ Rob Greenlee ~ Leave a comment

New Media Show with Rob Greenlee #669 with Guest Rob Walch, VP, Podcaster Relations at Captivate.comIn episode 669 of the New Media Show, host Rob Greenlee talks with Rob Walch, VP of Podcaster Relations at Captivate and DAX.

Podcast Hall of Famers Rob Walch and Rob Greenlee discuss one of the biggest pressure points facing creators today: Can human creators grow, monetize, and maintain audience trust as platforms fill with AI-generated podcasts, synthetic video, cloned voices, and automated content channels?

I apologize for the rough audio in this episode. The audio was choppy in the virtual recording, and I did the best I could to improve it.

The conversation begins with a bigger question: Where is the line between useful AI tools and low-effort, fully automated content that weakens trust, damages advertising ROI, and makes it harder for original creators to be discovered and rewarded?

AI can help creators research, edit, translate, caption, clip, and distribute their work more efficiently. But the human perspective, real creative judgment, authentic voice, and trusted audience relationship must remain at the center of the content experience.

Rob Walch shares updates on Captivate, DAX, and the evolving podcast monetization landscape before diving into the rise of mass-produced AI content and the growing use of the term “AI slop.”

Rob Greenlee and Rob Walch discuss why not every use of AI belongs in the same category, why transparency and disclosure matter, and how creators can use AI responsibly without losing the human value that makes their work worth following.

They also explore YouTube’s evolving AI-labeling approach, the future of human-generated content, platform responsibility, advertising risks, Apple HLS video, YouTube’s new focus on audio listening, video-versus-audio strategy, and how AI tools may help independent creators manage a rapidly expanding distribution workload.

The larger takeaway is that creators do not need to choose between being human and using AI. The opportunity is to use AI as a creative and operational assistant while keeping human thinking, trust, judgment, relationships, and original perspective at the core of the work.

00:00 Welcome to New Media Show #669
01:30 Introducing Rob Walch and His New Role at Captivate
02:30 Captivate Marketplace and Creator Monetization
05:00 What DAX and Global Bring to Podcast Advertising
08:30 What Does “AI Slop” Actually Mean?
11:00 How Mass AI Content Could Hurt Ad ROI and CPMs
13:30 The Scale of AI-Generated Podcast Uploads
16:00 Why AI Use Is Not One-Size-Fits-All
18:00 Bad Human Content vs. Bad AI Content
20:00 Platform Responsibility, Spam, and Fraud
22:00 YouTube AI Labeling and Creator Disclosure
25:00 AI Watermarks, Trust, and Human-Generated Content
28:00 Will Advertisers Prefer Human-Hosted Shows?
30:00 When Creators Should Disclose AI Use
33:00 AI Tools for Research, Editing, Audio Cleanup, and Workflows
36:00 Human Creativity Still Matters
39:00 Platform Discovery, Algorithms, and Audience Signals
44:00 Audio, Video, and YouTube’s Growing Interest in Listening
49:00 Apple HLS Video and the Podcast Monetization Challenge
54:00 Video Production, Baked-In Ads, and Creator Complexity
57:00 Why New Creators Can Still Start Audio-First
01:00:00 AI-Powered Clips, Repurposing, and Distribution
01:03:00 Monetization Risks and Alternatives Beyond Advertising
01:07:00 Podcast Standards, Video Metrics, and IAB Definitions
01:11:00 The Future of Audio, Video, AI, and Trusted Human Creators
01:19:00 Closing Thoughts and Where to Find Rob Walch

Guest and Host Links

Guest: Rob Walch
VP of Podcaster Relations, Captivate and DAX
Captivate: https://Captivate.fm
Global DAX: https://Global.com
Podcast411: https://Podcast411.com

Host: Rob Greenlee
New Media Show: https://NewMediaShow.com
Rob Greenlee: https://RobGreenlee.com
Trust Factor Lab: https://TrustFactorLab.com
Podcast Hall of Fame: https://PodcastHall.com
Rob Greenlee on LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/in/robgreenlee
Rob Greenlee Booking: https://calendly.com/robgreenlee

About the Host/Author:
Rob Greenlee is a 2017 Podcast Hall of Fame inductee and Chair, a global new-media leader who bridges podcasting’s human roots and its AI-driven future. As founder of Trust Factor Lab and host of the New Media Show and Spoken Human, Rob helps creators start, grow, monetize, and future-proof their content. He has held leadership roles at Microsoft, Spreaker, Libsyn, StreamYard, Podbean, and PodcastOne, and serves as Chairperson of the Podcast Hall of Fame.

Personal / AI Disclosure Note:
I used AI tools to help organize and edit this episode description and generate show notes from the episode transcript. The views, clarifications, responsibility, and industry perspective are mine and my guest’s. I have been working in podcasting, digital media, and platform adoption for more than two decades, and this article reflects my own position and editorial direction.

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Can Human Critics Improve Podcast Discovery? | Imran Ahmed, Great Pods #662

~ Rob Greenlee ~ Leave a comment

#662-New-Media-Show-300x300-Episode-Imran-GreatPods.coIn episode 662 from May 6th, 2026, of the New Media Show, hosted by 2017 Podcast Hall of Famer Rob Greenlee, he talks with Imran Ahmed, founder of Great Pods, for a deep conversation about one of podcasting’s longest-running controversies: Discovery.

Podcasting has never had a shortage of content. The bigger challenge has always been helping listeners find the right shows and helping quality creators get noticed.

  • Charts often reward scale.
  • Algorithms can miss the human context.
  • Social media attention does not always create trust.
  • But human recommendations, professional reviews, and transparency. editorial signals may still play an important role.

Imran joins Rob to discuss how Great Pods is building a podcast discovery and decision-making platform around critic reviews, ratings, attribution, podcast search, user reviews, badges, and curated discovery.

The conversation explores why reviews differ from basic listener comments, why constructive criticism can help creators, and how professional critics can serve as trusted filters for listeners trying to decide what to hear next.

Rob and Imran also dig into the broader evolution of podcasting, including the role of word-of-mouth discovery, the limits of podcast app charts, the rise of YouTube as a major discovery platform, and the ongoing tension around what defines a podcast in a world of audio, video, RSS feeds, platform exclusives, APIs, Netflix-style talk shows, and AI-generated content.

The episode also connects Great Pods to larger trust and transparency issues in new media. As AI-generated shows, algorithmic recommendations, and platform-controlled discovery continue to grow.

Rob and Imran discuss why human editorial judgment, clear labeling, attribution, and credible review systems may become even more important for listeners, creators, and platforms.

Key Topics Covered

  • Podcast discovery in 2026
  • Why podcast charts and algorithms often fall short
  • The difference between reviews, ratings, and listener comments
  • Why constructive criticism can help creators improve
  • How Great Pods uses professional reviews and attribution
  • Why human critics can become trusted discovery filters
  • The role of word-of-mouth recommendations in podcast growth
  • Why YouTube has become a major podcast discovery platform
  • How video, RSS, APIs, and platform exclusives are changing podcast definitions
  • Why AI-generated content increases the need for labeling and transparency
  • How podcasters can use reviews, badges, backlinks, and SEO to build credibility
  • What creators should do to make their shows more discoverable

Guest and Host Links

Guest: Imran Ahmed, Founder of Great Pods

Host: Rob Greenlee

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