The initiative aims to offer an affordable alternative to professional recording, addressing the needs of small businesses unable to afford traditional podcast advertising.
Klaxon AI, a start-up based in Peterborough, has received £50,000 in funding from the UK’s innovation agency, Innovate UK, to develop a new tool that allows small businesses to create computer-generated podcast adverts. The new system, expected to launch in January, will enable companies to produce 30-second podcast ads in just a few minutes, providing a cost-effective alternative to traditional advertising methods.
Co-founder Arup Biswas expressed excitement over the funding, noting that the tool will be ‘incredibly cheap’ and accessible to small businesses that typically cannot afford podcast advertising. The system will allow users to input a few words about their business or provide specific text, with AI generating the audio advert.
The service will cost about £50 for businesses to download their ad, or they can opt to use it for free on Klaxon AI’s network of podcasts. The funding is part of a broader £30 million investment by Innovate UK in high-potential businesses within the creative sector.