After recently writing about how I do—and do not—use Artificial Intelligence (AI) in producing this local news site and my podcasts, I’ve learned that I may now be in the minority. New data shows that a growing share of online content is being created entirely by AI.

Graphite, a firm specializing in search engine optimization (SEO), reports that AI-generated articles have overtaken those written by humans on the web. The company notes two key trends:

• The quantity of AI-generated articles has surpassed the number of human-written pieces published online.

• However, the proportion of AI-generated content has leveled off since May 2024.

Graphite also cautions that most AI-produced articles do not tend to appear prominently in Google search results or in ChatGPT responses—and that it remains difficult to determine exactly how many online articles are still authored by people.

AI’s impact extends beyond written content. The industry newsletter Podcast Tonight reports that artificial intelligence is transforming podcasting as well.

“Artificial intelligence is rapidly changing podcasting by enabling the mass production of shows with virtual hosts, making it cheaper and easier to create content,” the newsletter says. “Companies like Inception Point AI are producing thousands of AI-generated podcasts weekly and attracting advertisers even for niche topics. Some experts worry this will make it difficult for independent creators to compete and maintain quality. While some believe audiences will accept AI-hosted shows if they’re engaging, others argue that listeners still value authentic human connection in podcasts.”

As for me, I have never produced a podcast hosted or created by AI—and I don’t plan to start. It remains to be seen how podcast audiences will respond to this wave of AI-generated programming.

For now, my approach remains the same: I make limited use of AI tools in writing for this site and have never used AI-generated audio in any of my podcasts. I have no plans to change those policies.