I’m the first to admit that I’m not overly ‘techy’. Buying a new iPhone every three or so years is about the extent of my interest in the world of technology. Like many others, it’s not that I don’t find it interesting, more that the rapid enhancements can be too overwhelming to keep up to date with.

But a recent development has turned my tech apathy into infatuation.

We’ve all bared witness to AI’s exponential growth in one way or another. Yet, having based myself in the United States recently, the contrast between American and Australian technology couldn’t be more stark.

The latest? Google Gemini has launched its podcast feature, and unless you subscribe to the Wall Street Journal or Wired Magazine, it’s likely a development that most Australians are blissfully unaware of.

This software allows users to upload text documents, like research notes or articles, and have an AI generate a spoken podcast-like audio summary of the content, essentially creating an audio discussion based on the information provided, with a synthetic voice narrating the key points. The tone is as conversational as it gets, down to the perennial overuse of the word ‘like’ as a sentence filler. Stick around for a sneak peek on how easy it was to put these AI podcast tips into practice a little later.

Now, I might be an outlier, but where my appetite in tech lacks, I more than make up in podcast consumption. Tapping away at my laptop while listening to exactly what I want, when I want, is the type of technology I can get behind, and Gemini has tapped into this.

If anything, AI streamlines traditionally menial tasks like reading, writing or information consumption. But this latest feature offers so much more than content for people trying to get through their workday or going for their evening walk.

There are very practical, day to day examples of how this feature can be used - those in the job market immediately come to mind. Upload your resume, the job description, insert a prompt, and out comes a conversational, podcast discussion with Q&A style interview examples to showcase why you’re the right person for the job. 

But how can the latest AI feature be used in public relations?

Podcasts have become a popular medium for companies to share thought leadership, provide educational insights, and promote products in a more conversational, engaging way, and PR teams in the US (and soon, hopefully, in Australia) can revolutionise how they communicate with audiences.

For small brands and teams with limited budgets, this technology could level the playing field, allowing anyone to deliver high-quality audio content. With Gemini, PR can amplify messaging, reach niche audiences, and experiment with different content formats that keep people engaged.

Practically, here’s how PR teams can leverage this tool effectively:

·  Storytelling: AI-driven podcast creation enables richer, more layered stories about a brand, product, or key industry topics. With customisable narratives, PR teams can make content that feels tailor-made for specific audiences without needing to record, edit, or mix audio manually.

·  Engagement: People are spending more time listening to podcasts, and Gemini’s tool offers a seamless way to tap into this trend. For a PR team, having an AI-generated podcast means being able to release content quickly and regularly, keeping their brand top of mind.

·  Crisis Management: In a crisis, speed matters. An AI-powered podcast feature can help PR teams consume accurate and up-to-date data, and even deliver consistent messages across channels swiftly, more so in helping teams maintain control over their internal narrative.

The scale of AI use across sectors in the US drives faster learning, with more businesses gathering insights on how to integrate AI effectively into day-to-day operations. For PR teams, this difference in adoption means US businesses can leverage AI to a fuller extent, creating more sophisticated content strategies, refining targeting, and automating repetitive tasks.

Like so many similar platforms, be it Chat GPT or the recently launched DeepSeek, arguably the best part of Gemini’s podcast feature is that it is free to use.

With the US taking a strong lead in AI, there's a lot Australia can learn from its approach. As Australian companies begin to embrace tools like Google Gemini, they can gain the edge needed to compete on the global stage, and PR teams will be able to harness the power of AI to elevate brand storytelling to a whole new level.

Now, I earlier I promised a sneak peek on what Gemini’s podcast feature can do. Last year, PrichittBland’s own Claudia and Leeanne hit print on their first book; “The Ultimate Guide to Financial Services PR”, where they explain the key tools needed in an effective communications strategy in the jargon-heavy world of financial services.

Although one way to get a flavour of the book could be to read a snippet on Amazon here, I engaged my new friend Google Gemini to give us an audio breakdown on what the book teaches young PR pros in today’s environment. Gemini’s accents are yet to master our distinct Aussie vernacular, and so you’ll have to listen to American accents for now, but click here and you’ll soon find there’s no mistaking how AI can help in the real-world.