I'm sure you know that AI has been in the news lately...and radio is not immune. There's actually a company that is pitching an entirely AI-driven radio service to commercial radio owners. It's quite impressive in its way -- it sounds a lot like what most commercial radio sounds like right now -- all without the pesky need to pay actual human beings to create it.

Now, most commercial radio is bad. So what I'm saying is that this AI service sounds like bad radio. It's faceless, bland and boring. Sure, it can read you a social media post or a news story it's found online, just like actual people voicetracking their shows in another city can Google some things going on in Chicago and drop them in to create a pretend sense of localism, but ultimately, being live (in all senses of the word) in real time is what it's all about when it comes to connection.

I often talk about the extent to which radio has sacrificed its traditional strengths: localism, immediacy, the ability to connect through actual human beings talking to you in real time. These AI services are seeking to create the appearance of all of those strengths. But they cannot make up for the lack of actual human connection.

And as radio and radio-like services become less human, at CHIRP, humanity and connection are what we're all about. It astonishes me that tech companies apparently see the value of the idea of "radio" and are trying to replicate it, while entirely misunderstanding what's at the heart of the whole thing -- real people who listeners can relate to. People who live and work in the community, who can respond to goings-on in that community as they happen, who share listeners' passions, who answer their questions, who are trusted resources who can come to feel like friends.

At CHIRP, we are human-focused radio. We love the music we play. We go out and see bands. We're excited to share our discoveries, to respond to listeners, to talk about what's going on in Chicago. Being on the air is a delight. It's a powerful, meaningful source of connection and community. Every time I'm on the radio, I feel so lucky.

Up with humans! Down with robots! Please support CHIRP with a donation today and help me hit my $500 goal!

CHIRP is radio as it's meant to be: live, local and independent.

We are true radio believers at CHIRP. We love the music that we share with you, and we are committed to our community -- playing local bands every single hour of the day, interviewing Chicago artists for our podcast series, showcasing local nonprofits doing important work, and generally making sure we are shining a light on our city's diverse, vibrant, creative scenes. And we're doing it all without any commercials!

Your generous support makes everything we do possible. We are a truly independent, listener-supported radio station, never beholden to corporate interests.

If you believe in this work, and if you're able, we please make a donation to CHIRP today.

IMPORTANT: If you would like to become a sustaining member by making a recurring donation (monthly or quarterly), or if you want to select a thank you gift, please visit CHIRP's main donation page to make your contribution (and to give in support of the person making this post, be sure to type their full name in the "volunteer to credit" section so they can receive credit for your gift).