Amazon-owned Audible is launching three AI-powered features to compete with Spotify in the audiobook market: a character guide to help listeners track cast members, interactive stories powered by generative AI that let users converse with characters, and enhanced book world exploration with imagery and bonus information. The features are rolling out initially on select titles like the Audible Original of "Dracula" and will expand over time.
Kids are using NPR podcast comments on Spotify as an unmoderated chat room to evade social media restrictions. NPR staff initially mistook the comments for bot activity before recognizing the behavior as children communicating with each other using coded usernames and casual language patterns.