will.i.am, born William James Adams Jr., is an enigma that can, pretty much, do it all. He formed the Black Eyed Peas in 1995 and then released quite a few singles on his own. Adams has written and produced songs for Michael Jackson, Rihanna, Miley Cyrus, Kanye West….and so many more. He’s, also, served as a judge and mentor on The Voice UK, The Voice Australia, and The Voice Kids. Now, he’s adding app developer to his resume.
The media platform is called RAiDiO.FYI. FYI is the name of the tech company Adams founded. This platform can be used by a smartphone app and combines radio and AI. Described as “an AI-infused interactive, conversational media platform that transforms radio as we know it into a new dimension,” will.i.am is giving a nod to radio in the press release by saying, “will.i.am is endeared to radio and understands first-hand how integral it is in breaking and making the world’s most beloved music acts.” Acknowledging radio is still, and always will be, an important asset to artists is very important to the industry when so many are quick to dismiss this form of media.
Will goes on to describe how his platform is different. RAiDiO.FYI is free to use and easily accessible on your smartphone. Through this, listeners can talk with the radio stations and ask about music and get the history or details on how the song came about. The user can, also, discuss news, sports, culture, fashion trends and so on. The interactivity is what sets this app apart from others. You can even characterize your AI how you want it to sound, choosing from different voices that “reflect culture, from the streets of South Los Angeles to the underground clubs of East London and beyond.” The personalization of the AI makes it seem as if you’re talking to a friend and not just artificial intelligence. Here’s a demo of how it works:
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You can download by going to fyi.ai app.
Photo courtesy of The Tonight Show