Evaluating Listener Perceptions of Artificial Intelligence Broadcasters in Indonesian Radio

The rapid integration of artificial intelligence (AI) into media industries has introduced new forms of automated broadcasting. This includes the emergence of AI radio hosts. In Indonesia, Mustang FM Jakarta pioneered this development by introducing Aimee as the country's first AI broadcaster. This research examines whether AI broadcasters can replicate human broadcasting strengths by evaluating seven characteristics of radio broadcasting, which are Theatre of Mind (TO), Intimacy (IN), Personalization (PE), Immediacy (IM), Interactivity (IR), Continuity (CN), and Credibility (CR). A quantitative survey was conducted with 313 purposively selected listeners who had previously listened to Aimee. Data were analyzed using Structural Equation Modeling-Partial Least Squares (SEM-PLS) through SmartPLS 4 to assess the extent to which each characteristic predicts overall audience perception. The results indicate that Theatre of Mind and Personalization significantly improve audience perception. This demonstrates that AI broadcasters can effectively stimulate imagination and tailor content to listener preferences. However, Intimacy, Immediacy, Interactivity, Continuity, and Credibility did not exhibit significant influence. This suggests that AI systems still struggle to convey emotional depth, spontaneity, and trustworthiness. Whereas these qualities are commonly associated with human announcers. This study contributes to the limited body of literature on AI-driven in Southeast Asia by providing empirical evidence on audience perceptions. It also highlights practical implications for hybrid human-AI broadcasting models in the Indonesian radio industry.