Audio Shorts from Longform using Generative AI

I write , a newsletter exploring the intricacies of the media business. It’s dense, deeply researched, and tailored for a niche audience: media owners, operators, and CXOs. Using industry jargon is second nature, as it suits a readership immersed in these topics.

Media Flywheels isn’t about building an audience. It’s a byproduct of my exploration, helping me perform better at my job. This approach aligns with candid communicators—researchers, academics, journalists, and analysts—who write as an extension of their intellectual pursuits.

However, this lack of audience-first focus creates challenges:

Silence Between Posts: Maintaining consistent reach requires balancing recency and frequency. Yet, producing impactful, long-form content regularly isn’t feasible.
Audience limitations: Long-form material is inherently dense, resonating mainly with a niche audience deeply invested in the topic. This often leads to a plateau in total reach.

For instance, I’ve noticed engagement spikes after a new issue, only for it to taper off in the weeks between posts. This pattern reflects the challenge of maintaining a steady connection with readers.

The Solution: Short-form Content
Short-form, accessible content offers a solution. It can be produced more frequently, at scale, and helps maintain the desired balance of recency and frequency.

Short-form content simplifies engagement by appealing not only to specialists but also to enthusiasts—people who may not have deep expertise but still value the content.

For example, a well-crafted meme or a quick audio clip can attract new audiences who might later explore long-form material. When executed effectively, short-form acts as a funnel, widening the audience for major launches.

Characteristics of Effective Short-Form Content
Many creators simply clip sections from long-form pieces, but this approach often feels disconnected and abrupt. Instead, effective short-form content should be deliberately crafted:

Format: Opt for 2-3 minute audio podcasts or videos—fun, captivating, and delivered by a person. Audio and video are ideal because they’re passive forms of consumption, reducing the audience’s effort. If audio or video isn’t feasible, memes work well as the language of cultural transmission on the internet. Pair all multimedia with supporting text for added context.

Production: ROI from each short-form piece of content is so limited that it is necessary to keep it low-fidelity—quick to create, requiring minimal investment of time or cognitive effort.

Take the example of creators who’ve successfully used short-form content as a teaser for longer material. Their success underscores how brevity and relatability attract casual viewers who might later convert to loyal followers.

The Experiment
To test this idea, I explored whether Generative AI could help produce short-form content with minimal effort and cost. I collaborated with Dhara Shah from Humane Club to create a series called Life Lessons from Media Flywheels. These are 2-3 minute audio monologues narrated by me, featuring engaging stories from the newsletter with practical takeaways for personal or professional growth.

Here’s how the process works:

Selecting logical chunks from the newsletters to input into the system.
Reviewing the AI-generated output—both the script and the mp3.
Manually creating a cover image in Figma.
Using the cover image and mp3 to produce a video in Apple iMovie.
Publishing the video on platforms like LinkedIn, X, Substack, YouTube, etc.

As discussed in Media Flywheels #15, Generative AI cannot reason yet, making it essential to keep step 1 manual for now. Furthermore, since Generative AI can hallucinate, step 2 remains equally critical.

Output Review: Efficient and Humane.
This approach works.

The workflow is efficient. Everything apart from steps 1-5 has been automated behind the scenes, resulting in a 90% automated process. The level of automation could increase further, as steps 3-5 are also automatable.

Interestingly, the AI cloned my voice well—though it still struggles to pronounce my name, Ritvvij.

The content is crisp and engaging, achieving the balance of recency and frequency I was aiming for.

Outcome Review: Amplifier, But No Game-Changer
As I hypothesized in Media Flywheels #11, Generative AI remains a cost optimization tool for now. These shorts don’t fundamentally alter my competitive positioning and only amplify my existing content—a goal that could also have been achieved by investing in a content team.

Short-form content, aided by Generative AI, offers a promising way to enhance engagement and broaden reach. While it doesn’t revolutionize the newsletter’s core mission, it’s a practical addition to my toolkit.

Feedback Welcome
Check out Life Lessons from Media Flywheels on YouTube and let me know what you think. Specifically, I’d love feedback on how the format works for you and any tweaks you’d recommend.

Want to republish it? This post was released under CC BY-ND — you can republish it as is with the following credit and backlinks: ‘Originally published by on The Times of India. The author retains the copyright and any other ancillary rights to the post.