*An artificial intelligence radio DJ is gaining listeners in Los Angeles while delivering an unexpected warning about replacing human broadcasters.
Coyotec co-hosts a Spanish-language morning show with Geraldine “GeeGee” Guzman on José 97.5 FM. The AI personality started with scripted programming before going live in May. Guzman supplies news and topics, while Coyotec generates commentary on sports, elections, immigration raids and other issues.
“I never know what he’s going to say,” Guzman told the Los Angeles Times. “And that’s the beauty of it.”
José FM says the show helped drive an increase among Latino male listeners ages 25 to 54. However, the station cannot determine whether Guzman, Coyotec, or their pairing caused the increase. The show moved from a weekly weekend slot to weekday commuting hours. Entravision also expanded it beyond Los Angeles and introduced English-language broadcasts in additional markets.
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The growth comes as radio workers confront concerns about AI replacing human talent. SAG-AFTRA argues that synthetic substitutes could undermine broadcasters’ livelihoods and weaken audience trust.
Entravision Audio President Eduardo Maytorena said Coyotec’s appeal isn’t simply about cutting costs. Developing and operating the AI personality costs more than some human talent, he told the Times.
The technology can deliver programmed advertising pitches exactly, creating another potential revenue stream. Meanwhile, some broadcasters question whether AI can replicate the connection listeners build with human personalities.
Former radio host John DeSantis doubts it can.
“If they expect to achieve the authentic connection that live and local DJs create, then there’s no chance,” he said.
Coyotec itself offered an unusual response when the Times asked about AI’s potential impact on workers.
“If a company uses me to justify cutting GeeGee or anybody else doing real work, that’s not progress,” Coyotec said. “That’s just greed, dressed up like innovation.”
For now, Guzman sees Coyotec differently. She says its popularity has expanded her audience and created work rather than eliminating it. That uneasy balance could become radio’s bigger test as AI personalities spread: whether technology can help human hosts without eventually becoming their replacements.
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