iHeartMedia Announces “Guaranteed Human” Rule Banning AI Voices Across All Stations

iHeartMedia is turning down the volume on synthetic sound, unveiling a new companywide policy that bans AI-generated voices and content across its radio and podcast brands.

Branded the “Guaranteed Human” campaign, the stance doubles down on real on-air personalities at a time when artificial intelligence is creeping further into media and entertainment.

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The directive, detailed in an internal memo obtained by Radio Ink, sees Chief Programming Officer Tom Poleman instructing that every voice heard on iHeart stations must be human. That includes hosted segments, liners, and imaging, setting one of the clearest industry lines against AI-on-air experiments.

According to internal research cited in the memo, listeners may use AI tools in daily life, yet overwhelmingly prefer real people hosting their favorite shows. AI can still support behind-the-scenes work such as scheduling, analytics, and editing, while in-house tools aim to protect company data.

For now, iHeart’s message is clear: AI is a-OK in certain regards…but, from their vantage point, not all.

The announcement comes on the heels of the drama regarding charting AI artist Xania Monet.