Podcast Movement 2023: ‘Long Sought’ Premiere & Cutting-Edge AI Audio Innovations

Davar Ardalan
6 min readAug 24, 2023
Keynote Speaker Donald Kelly’s insights (CEO of The Sales Evangelist) were like a roadmap to success.

Amidst the grandeur of the Rocky Mountains, Podcast Movement 2023 buzzed with energy as podcast aficionados from across the globe gathered. The event was so dynamic, we even hit our AI’s token limit!

As I donned my reds, greens, and a Persian-inspired jacket with the Gole Narges print, I felt a sense of pride and anticipation. Alongside me was our brilliant AI Scientist, Reza Moradinezhad, and together, we were on a mission: to soft-launch TulipAI and showcase our innovative products.

Two keynotes, in particular, left an indelible mark:

  • Donald Kelly: As the Chief Sales Evangelist, he not only oversees business development strategies but also hosts The Sales Evangelist podcast, which resonates with listeners in over 155 countries. His insights into sales and business development were enlightening.
  • Gabriel Soto: As the Senior Director of Research at Edison Research, Gabriel’s commitment to enhancing marketing resources for podcast creators and advertisers is inspring. His research findings on podcast listeners have been instrumental in shaping the podcasting landscape.
Keynote Speaker Gabriel Soto’s (Edison Research) research was a deep dive into the heart of podcasting.

Another major highlight was the private luncheon with the BIPOC Podcast Creator team. It was a moment of reflection and celebration, recognizing the voices of Black, Indigenous, and People of Color in podcasting. Interacting with Tangia Renee and Maribel Quezada Smith, co-founders of BIPOC Podcast Creators, was truly inspiring.

The networking opportunities were unparalleled. From the BD lead at SXSW to dynamic teams at Amazon, Simplecast, Airwaves, WildWest, Adsmovil, and beyond, the connections we forged were invaluable.

On the AI front, John Gauntt took the stage on Monday with two 3-hour workshops that delved deep into the wonders and perils of Generative AI tools. Attendees had hands on activities and main highlights were prompting and testing Chat GPT for text and Visla for video.

We participated in a braindate with Jeremy Enns about podcast marketing and Allea Grummert of Duett, recommended that we promote our podcast, “Long Sought,” as a genealogical journey to attract more listeners.

We met Elliott Billiard and learned about his co-founder Soulemane Diaoune of Braincap. They’re looking to erase language barriers through technology, an all-in-one workspace to make your podcast content multilingual.

TulipAI’s Highlights:

Our braindate on multilingual AI was a hit, emphasizing the importance of diverse and inclusive content in the digital age. From discussing the future of AI-generated audio creation to exploring the potential of AI in media, the sessions were both informative and engaging. We stressed the significance of ethically curated data and the imperative for transparent AI business strategies.

Across three days we delved into the transformative potential of multilingual AI in the media landscape and showcased our innovations. We emphasized the growing demand for diverse content and introduced TulipAI as a pioneering force in this domain:

AI Podcast Assistants: Our advanced prototype is set to redefine the content creation realm. With its multilingual AI capabilities, we’re prepared to engage with diverse audiences like never before. Round-the-clock AI Assistants ensure that content remains accessible and interactive.

A goldmine of untouched material sits in your archives. Join us in our R&D journey to redefine content creation. Our advanced prototypes are currently in developmental phase. Partner with us to shape the future of content interactions while prioritizing inclusivity, sustainability and accuracy.

At TulipAI we forecast a paradigm shift: by 2025, engagement with archived content will eclipse that of new content, all thanks to the prowess of personal AI assistants. This transformative wave ensures that marketers and business development professionals will unearth, repackage, and promote thrice the amount of on-demand content that previously went unnoticed, meticulously tailoring it to resonate with their most prized audience segments.

Visit our website in October to discover how you can subscribe and be the first to tune in.

Long Sought: We unveiled the “Long Sought” trailer at Podcast Movement, spotlighting my husband John Smith’s deep dive into his ancestral roots — a podcast journey that might inspire you to unearth your own hidden lineage. “Long Sought” seamlessly traverses time, bridging continents and knitting together stories to reveal John’s German-American ancestry.

We also introduced CK, a nod to Catherine Kessler, an ancestor from Mount Crawford, VA in the 1800s. It was Catherine’s name that ignited John’s quest, leading him to centuries-old German Church records. Embodying the spirit of a trailblazer, CK spearheads our historical re-enactment and AI team on the website, reminding us of the invaluable lessons the past imparts through her voice.

CK can respond in multiple languages. We discussed the game-changing role of multilingual AI in repurposing content for global audiences, monetizing with AI chatbots, and the benefits of content creators working together with Large Language Models (LLMs) for improved content translation.

Soundscapes by TulipAI, is an AI-driven platform that generates audio sound effects in just minutes. Soft launched beta at Podcast Movement 2023.

Soundscapes: The next audio frontier: Our AI-generated audio is a fun tool for sound effects but if nurtured correctly it can fill gaps in representation by providing diverse sound effects. With Soundscapes, TulipAI leverages open-source LLMs like AudioGen for AI-driven audio. What we’ve learned is that while Meta’s AudioGen is groundbreaking, it lacks extensive, high-quality data and it’s unclear what audio data it has been trained on.

We’re committed to boosting inclusivity with ethically curated audio data, ensuring that all voices are heard. We promote an open-source collaborative community model, fostering innovation and creativity. We’re open to partnerships that prioritize ethically curated data and transparent business strategies, especially in the age of AI.

Introduced EarthlyReports by TulipAI as a platform making climate data and stories accessible. Soft launched beta at Podcast Movement 2023.

EarthlyReports: Narrating Climate Stories: Our short narratives on Earth’s temperature, based on open datasets, can engage diverse audiences, making complex climate data relatable and understandable.

In its beta phase, EarthlyReports stands as a user-friendly Earth Temperature Reporting Assistant, leveraging open datasets of temperature anomalies from regions worldwide, courtesy of the National Centers for Environmental Information (NCEI).

Enhanced with advanced AI and language models, it offers a detailed view of historical and spatial meteorological data, aiding stakeholders from civil engineers to educators in crafting data-driven climate narratives. Addressing the challenges faced by organizations in today’s climate-centric world, EarthlyReports simplifies the process of creating impactful stories on climate trends, ushering in a new age of climate data storytelling.

At Podcast Movement, the Podnews booth transformed lunchtime into playtime by partnering with Denver’s MaxFund animal adoption center, presenting the delightful Podnews Puppies.

Podcast Movement 2023 was more than just an event; it was an experience, a journey of learning, networking, and celebrating the world of podcasting.

The unveiling of “Long Sought” was a testament to the power of storytelling, both ancient and modern. With John’s ancestral tales and CK’s AI-driven insights, we showcased the magic that happens when the past meets the future.

TulipAI Scientist Reza Moradinezhad working together with Davar Ardalan on Soundscapes.

Our sessions were more than just presentations; they were conversations. Conversations about the importance of inclusivity in media, the potential of Soundscapes, and the urgent need for accessible climate narratives. We didn’t just talk about the future; we are shaping it.

As I reflect on Podcast Movement 2023, I’m filled with gratitude. Gratitude for the innovations we showcased, Reza’s hard work and cheerful camaraderie, Melanie Morales Bohorquez sprinkling conversation design magic on CK, the connections we forged, and the stories we shared. But most of all, I’m grateful for the journey ahead. Because with TulipAI at the helm, the future of audio is not just bright; it’s dazzling.

--

--

Davar Ardalan

Founder TulipAI. National Geographic, NPR News, SecondMuse, White House PIF Alum.