Workdays with Thy airs on Sydney’s CADA radio station. ARN Media, its parent company, confirmed to the Financial Review that Thy is an AI-generated host whose voice and appearance are inspired by a real employee from the financial department. The character’s voice was developed using AI voice technology from ElevenLabs, as initially reported by the newsletter The Carpet.
However, neither CADA’s website nor the show itself mentions that the host is AI-generated. The show’s description boasts that it features songs curated by music experts, emphasizing that listeners can discover chart-topping tracks early with Thy, enabling them to impress their friends with their musical savvy.
This case is not isolated; recently, Microsoft also revealed that its AI-generated advertisement for the Surface was initially presented without disclosing the use of AI.
According to the Financial Review, Workdays with Thy debuted on CADA’s platform in November 2024 and reportedly has a reach of at least 72,000 listeners. Teresa Lim, VP of the Australian Association of Voice Actors, criticized ARN Media for not revealing the use of an AI host, stating on LinkedIn, “Australian listeners deserve honesty and transparency, rather than being misled into believing a fictional character is a genuine on-air personality.”
ARN CEO Ciaran Davis addressed the situation in the Financial Review, saying, “We’re trying to differentiate between what’s real and what’s not. What we’ve learned is the strength of the announcers we have.”
