will. i. am

will.i.am has launched a new AI-driven radio service, RAiDiO.FYI, to evolve the static medium into a more personalized experience. With RAiDiO.FYI, users are able to have conversations with AI DJs about anything from music, to breaking news, to sports, to weather reports — and the service will create a listening experience designed to each user.
The new offering is part of FYI, a multi-faceted tech company which will.i.am founded to help “maximize creativity” for artists with the help of AI personas, file management, project management, design tools and more. Users can start listening for free on the FYI app, available for both iPhone and Android smartphones.

will.i.am says he had an “aha” moment when he was recently on a radio show and the DJ opened the request line. “The request line has always been always been awesome for radio with when the callers get to call in and talk to the DJ or talk to the guests, but they’re limited to one person at a time,” he tells Billboard. “And then after the broadcast you couldn’t talk the host.”

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While the relevance of AM/FM radio continues to wane, particularly with younger audiences, will.i.am’s RAiDiO.FYI promises to reinvigorate the medium by switching it from a passive, immovable experience to one that is much more engaging and playful.

“This is an infotainment revolution where you can go back and forth with information in a deep way, and I’m so excited to be launching that with FYI, and to all the folks out there listening,” says will.i.am.

In the future, FYI will continue to partner with content creators from various internet niches to publish their own stations on the radio, including stations dedicated to spots, tech, politics, music and more.