Highlights:
- Inception Point AI produces 5,000 shows and 3,000 new episodes weekly.
- Episodes cost $1 or less to make, breaking even with ~20 listeners.
- 50+ AI podcast hosts created, covering topics from food to sports.
- Network Quiet Please has logged 10 million downloads since 2023.
- Startup experiments with social media AI influencers, plans global expansion.
Inception Point AI, a new startup led by former Wondery executive Jeanine Wright, is building a massive network of AI-generated podcasts at record pace. With more than 5,000 shows and 3,000 new episodes released weekly, the company is attempting to redefine the economics of podcasting by creating scalable, low-cost audio content led entirely by artificial intelligence.
From high-cost human hosts to $1 AI episodes
Traditional podcasting has grown expensive, with narrative shows requiring extensive production and celebrity hosts demanding significant fees. Wright and her team are taking an entirely different route: producing full podcast episodes for about $1 or less. By minimizing costs and attaching programmatic advertising, the company says that even if just 20 people listen, the episode already hits profitability.
A growing stable of AI personalities
At the center of the initiative are nearly 50 AI “hosts,” each designed with expertise or flair in a particular niche. These range from food specialist Clare Delish to gardening guide Nigel Thistledown and sports commentator Oly Bennet. Every show begins with transparency, as the hosts clearly identify themselves as AI. While personalities are carefully curated, the company has avoided deep fictional backstories for now.
Wright envisions expanding the personalities into broader influencer roles across social media, literature, and short-form video. The team is already testing how these digital avatars might engage with audiences, though co-founder and CTO William Corbin cautions against artificially creating overly deep relationships with listeners.
Speed, scale, and experimentation
Inception Point AI’s process runs on speed. Each episode takes roughly an hour to move from idea to distribution. Topics are chosen using AI tools that track Google and social media search trends. Experimentation is key—sometimes five versions of a show are launched simultaneously with different titles to test which resonates most. The model even allows for highly niche podcasts, such as detailed pollen reports, which may attract a small audience but still generate profit.
Katie Brown, a former lifestyle host now leading content, oversees a team of eight, including four dedicated to content creation. Together they give each podcast its title, feed topics into AI systems, assign hosts, and add music and sound touches. Periodic spot-checks ensure output quality before episodes reach listeners.
Powered by 184 AI agents
Behind the scenes, the startup employs 184 custom AI agents that operate alongside large language models including OpenAI, Perplexity, Claude, and Gemini. These agents build scripts, structure shows, and adapt to different content needs. The AI-generated voices are customized by the team, with plans for more distinct vocal identities as the product evolves.
Building a new podcasting genre
Since its launch, the company’s Quiet Please Podcast Network has garnered 10 million downloads. Wright and her team see their work not as a replacement for human-led shows but as a complementary genre within the podcast market. “It exists alongside,” said Josh Taylor, co-founder and chief production officer, noting that AI can venture into hyper-specific areas human hosts may never attempt.
Currently bootstrapped, with no salaried employees yet, the firm plans to seek external funding soon. Wright believes the future of media will be filled with countless AI-generated voices. “We believe that in the near future half the people on the planet will be AI,” she said. For Inception Point AI, that future has already begun.
