How to Create a Podcast with AI: Complete Step-by-Step Guide

Why Create a Podcast with AI?

AI podcast creation tools have fundamentally changed who can produce professional-quality audio content. Traditional podcast production requires recording equipment, a quiet space, audio editing skills, and significant time investment. AI tools eliminate most of these barriers. You can create a polished, multi-speaker podcast episode from nothing more than a written script or even a blog post URL. The technology has matured rapidly over the past two years, with AI voices now sounding remarkably close to natural human speech. Major platforms like Spotify and Apple Podcasts now host thousands of AI-generated shows, and listener acceptance continues to grow as quality improves. For content creators, businesses, and educators, AI podcasting represents an efficient way to expand into audio without the overhead of traditional production.

Step 1: Choose Your AI Podcast Tool

Your first decision is selecting the right tool for your specific workflow. If you want to write original scripts and convert them into podcast episodes, Wondercraft is our top recommendation due to its superior voice quality and intuitive editor. If you have existing written content like blog posts or newsletters that you want to repurpose as audio, Jellypod offers the fastest and most streamlined workflow. If you prefer recording yourself and want AI to handle editing and enhancement, Descript is the industry standard. For creators who prioritize voice realism above all else and do not mind a more hands-on approach, ElevenLabs produces the most lifelike AI speech available. And if you are a complete beginner who wants an all-in-one platform with the gentlest learning curve, Podcastle is the ideal starting point. Visit our ranking page for a detailed comparison of all five tools.

Step 2: Plan Your Episode Content

Even with AI handling the production, strong content planning is essential. Start by defining your target audience and the specific value your episode will deliver. Outline your main points before writing a full script. For AI-generated podcasts, your script is essentially your final product, so invest time in making it engaging. Structure your episode with a clear introduction that hooks listeners in the first 30 seconds, a well-organized body with distinct segments or topics, and a conclusion with a clear call to action. If you are creating a multi-speaker format, write natural dialogue rather than alternating monologues. Include transitions between topics and vary the pacing to maintain listener engagement.

Step 3: Write Your Script

Writing for AI voices requires some specific techniques. Keep sentences shorter than you would for written content. Long, complex sentences with multiple clauses sound unnatural when spoken by AI. Use conversational language rather than formal prose. Read your script aloud before feeding it to an AI tool, and if any sentence feels awkward to say, rewrite it. Include explicit direction for pauses by using ellipses or paragraph breaks. Many AI tools interpret these as natural breathing points. If using a multi-speaker format, make sure each speaker has a distinct perspective and voice. Avoid having speakers simply agree with each other, as this sounds artificial. Create genuine back-and-forth where speakers build on, question, or contrast each other's points.

Step 4: Generate Your Audio

With your script ready, it is time to generate the audio. In most tools, this involves pasting your script, assigning voices to speakers, and clicking generate. Experiment with different voice options before committing to a full episode. Listen to short samples with each voice to find the best match for your content tone. Most tools let you adjust speaking rate, which is important because AI voices often default to a pace that is slightly too fast for comfortable listening. Slow it down by 5 to 10 percent for better comprehension. Generate your episode in sections rather than all at once, if your tool supports it. This gives you more control over quality and makes it easier to regenerate specific parts that do not sound right.

Step 5: Edit and Polish

Even the best AI generation benefits from editing. Listen to your entire episode from start to finish, noting any sections that sound unnatural, have awkward pacing, or contain pronunciation errors. Most AI podcast tools allow you to regenerate specific sections without redoing the entire episode. Add background music to enhance the listening experience. Subtle, low-volume music during content sections and slightly louder music during transitions creates a professional feel. Check our guide on adding background music for detailed instructions. Add an intro and outro to bookend your episode. These recurring elements help establish your brand and give listeners a consistent experience across episodes.

Step 6: Export and Publish

Export your finished episode in the highest quality format your tool supports, typically WAV or high-bitrate MP3. If your tool exports in WAV, consider converting to MP3 at 192kbps or higher for distribution, as this balances quality with file size. For publishing, you will need a podcast hosting platform. Popular options include Buzzsprout, Podbean, Anchor, and Transistor. Upload your episode with a descriptive title, detailed show notes, and relevant tags. Submit your podcast RSS feed to major directories including Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Podcasts, and Amazon Music. Most hosting platforms guide you through this process and handle the technical details automatically.

Frequently Asked Questions