The Future of Podcasting May Scare You

Every day, a new tool promises to change how we work and communicate. Some fade quickly, while others—like Google’s NotebookLM—capture the internet's imagination and redefine what's possible. It stitches ideas together at lightning speed, offering a glimpse of a future where podcast creation might be as simple as uploading a few audio samples.

But with this flood of content, we have to ask: If a tree falls in the forest and no one hears it…? Tools like these can generate endless streams of content, but without thoughtful human prompts, does any of it really matter? Mass production is easy; quality is still rare, but getting better.

This morning, I created a podcast in less than five minutes using NotebookLM. It’s not perfect, but it’s remarkable—nearly ready for an audience with minimal effort. We're on the edge of a moment, where storytelling becomes effortless, but only the work shaped by human care will stand out amidst the digital noise.

The process for the following was about as simple as copying/pasting a link to our blog:

Accuracy and substance aside, I find the platform’s ability research and craft a narrative to be incredible.