How to use AI for podcast production?

The Short Version

AI transforms podcast production from a labor-intensive 8-hour process into a streamlined 3-4 hour workflow. Rather than replacing human creativity, AI handles the repetitive technical work—transcription, editing, show notes, and distribution—freeing your team to focus on content strategy and guest relationships.

The Four Core AI Podcast Production Tasks

1. Transcription & Timestamping

Tools: Otter.ai, Rev, Descript, or Riverside.fm

Transcription is the foundation of modern podcast production. AI-powered transcription services now achieve 95-99% accuracy for clear audio and can be completed in real-time or within minutes of recording.

• Otter.ai: $20-30/month, real-time transcription, speaker identification, searchable archive
• Descript: $12-24/month, includes editing interface, automatic filler word removal, speaker labels
• Rev: $1.25 per minute, human-reviewed option available, highest accuracy for complex audio

The transcription becomes your single source of truth—it powers everything downstream (show notes, clips, SEO content, accessibility).

2. Show Notes & Content Generation

Tools: ChatGPT, Claude, Notion AI, or specialized podcast platforms

Once you have a transcript, AI can generate show notes in under 5 minutes that would typically take 30-45 minutes manually.

Workflow:

1. Export transcript from Descript or Otter
2. Paste into ChatGPT with this prompt: "Create podcast show notes with: episode summary (2-3 sentences), key takeaways (5 bullets), guest bio (100 words), and timestamp-linked chapters"
3. Review and customize (5-10 minutes)
4. Publish to your podcast host

AI also generates:

• Social media clips (short-form content for LinkedIn, Twitter, TikTok)
• Blog post outlines from episode content
• Email newsletter summaries for your audience
• SEO-optimized descriptions for podcast directories

3. Audio Editing & Production

Tools: Descript, Adobe Podcast, Riverside.fm, or Audacity with AI plugins

This is where AI saves the most time. Descript's auto-edit feature removes filler words ("um," "uh," "like"), long pauses, and background noise automatically.

• Descript: $12-24/month, removes filler words, auto-captions, speaker separation
• Adobe Podcast: Free to $9.99/month, one-click audio enhancement, noise removal, voice clarity
• Riverside.fm: $15-99/month, records locally (no compression), AI-powered editing included

Time savings: What takes 2-3 hours of manual editing (cutting, leveling, removing dead air) takes 15-20 minutes with AI-assisted tools.

4. Distribution & Repurposing

Tools: Podpage, Transistor, Captivate, or Anchor

AI optimizes how your podcast reaches different audiences:

• Podpage: Automatically converts podcast episodes into blog posts with SEO optimization
• Transistor: AI-powered analytics, automatic social media posting, guest promotion
• Captivate: Generates video clips, social snippets, and email campaigns from episodes

The Production Workflow: Before vs. After AI

Traditional Workflow (8 hours)

1. Record episode (1 hour)
2. Manual transcription or outsourcing (2-3 hours)
3. Write show notes (45 minutes)
4. Edit audio manually (2-3 hours)
5. Create social clips (1 hour)
6. Upload to directories (30 minutes)

AI-Optimized Workflow (3-4 hours)

1. Record episode (1 hour)
2. Auto-transcription (5 minutes, happens during/after recording)
3. AI-generated show notes + editing (15 minutes)
4. AI audio editing + cleanup (15 minutes)
5. AI-generated social clips (10 minutes)
6. Auto-distribution (5 minutes)

Strategic Considerations for CMOs

Quality Control

AI transcription and editing are not perfect. Budget 10-15 minutes per episode for human review:

• Check speaker identification (especially with multiple guests)
• Verify technical terms and proper nouns
• Review AI-generated show notes for accuracy and tone
• Listen to edited audio for any awkward cuts

Tool Stack Investment

A complete AI-powered podcast production stack costs $50-100/month:

• Transcription: $20-30
• Editing: $12-24
• Distribution/repurposing: $15-50
• Optional: AI writing assistant (ChatGPT Plus $20)

This is significantly cheaper than hiring a podcast producer ($3,000-5,000/month) or outsourcing production ($500-1,500 per episode).

When to Use AI vs. Human Producers

Use AI for:

• Weekly episodic content (consistent volume)
• Internal/educational podcasts
• Repurposing existing content
• Routine editing and transcription

Keep humans for:

• Strategic show planning and guest selection
• Complex audio mixing (multiple microphones, music)
• Brand voice and tone (especially for premium shows)
• Crisis management or sensitive content

Implementation Timeline

Week 1: Set up Descript + ChatGPT (free/trial versions)

Week 2: Record 2-3 test episodes, refine your AI prompts

Week 3: Add distribution tools (Podpage or Transistor)

Week 4: Optimize based on results, scale to full production

Common Mistakes to Avoid

• Assuming AI is 100% accurate: Always review transcripts and edited audio
• Using generic AI prompts: Customize show notes prompts to match your brand voice
• Ignoring SEO: Use AI to generate keyword-rich titles and descriptions
• Over-automating: Keep human review in the loop for quality assurance
• Not repurposing content: AI makes it easy to turn one episode into 10+ pieces of content

Bottom Line

AI reduces podcast production from 8 hours to 3-4 hours per episode by automating transcription, editing, show notes, and distribution. A CMO team can implement a complete AI podcast stack for $50-100/month and see immediate time savings. The key is maintaining human oversight for quality control while letting AI handle repetitive technical work—this frees your team to focus on strategy, guest relationships, and content that drives business results.