Steven Bartlett, host of The Diary of a CEO, is experimenting with AI to expand the limits of podcast production. His company, FlightStory Studio, has launched 100 CEOs with Steven Bartlett, a series that uses AI voices and animation to deliver scripted episodes telling the stories of prominent business figures including Richard Branson and Elon Musk.
While Bartlett still writes the scripts, the hosting and production are done using AI tools from companies such as Runway, ElevenLabs and Wondercraft. The show is available on YouTube and Apple Podcasts and makes clear that it is AI-generated.
Georgie Holt, FlightStory’s cofounder, told Business Insider that the company had chosen to disrupt its own production model after seeing the quality of tools like Runway.
Reaction has been mixed: some commenters praised the animation and storytelling, while others say the AI voice lacks the emotional depth of Bartlett’s usual style. The studio says it is working to improve both tone and pacing as the technology evolves.
FlightStory Studio, which owns and produces five podcasts, makes about half its revenue from advertising and branded content. The rest comes from YouTube, subscription services for The Diary of a CEO, book deals, speaker fees and product sales. It reported $20 million in revenue for 2024 and expects to grow by 57% this year.
It also has plans to expand into new areas, including sport and fandom, and is preparing a joint venture for 2026. Like Alex Cooper’s move into consumer goods with her energy drink, Bartlett’s model is to build franchises around creators.
Bartlett is also an investor in Wondercraft, an AI audio startup that raised $3 million in seed funding earlier this year. Wondercraft, which describes itself as the “Canva of audio,” allows users to create podcasts, ads and audiobooks using AI-powered tools without a recording studio. It works closely with ElevenLabs, whose text-to-speech system is used to generate more natural-sounding voices.
Bartlett’s association with AI aligns with his brand as an early adopter and has given him more freedom than most podcast hosts to experiment. “For many creators it’s still a sensitive subject,” said Megan Lazovick, Vice President at Edison Research, “but it makes sense coming from Steven Bartlett.”
FlightStory Studio is now testing whether AI-generated podcast ads can outperform human-read ones, with the aim of shortening production times and opening up new commercial opportunities.
Source: Noah Wire Services
Noah Fact Check Pro
The draft above was created using the information available at the time the story first
emerged. We’ve since applied our fact-checking process to the final narrative, based on the criteria listed
below. The results are intended to help you assess the credibility of the piece and highlight any areas that may
warrant further investigation.
Freshness check
Score:
9
Notes:
The narrative is recent, with the Business Insider report dated July 28, 2025. The ‘100 CEOs with Steven Bartlett’ podcast was launched in May 2025, indicating timely reporting. No evidence of recycled content or significant discrepancies found. The report is based on a press release, which typically warrants a high freshness score. No earlier versions with differing figures, dates, or quotes were identified. No similar content appeared more than 7 days earlier. The inclusion of updated data alongside older material is noted, but the update justifies a higher freshness score.
Quotes check
Score:
10
Notes:
Direct quotes from Georgie Holt and other sources are unique to this report, with no earlier matches found online. This suggests potentially original or exclusive content.
Source reliability
Score:
9
Notes:
The narrative originates from Business Insider, a reputable organisation known for its business journalism. The report is based on a press release, which typically warrants a high reliability score. No evidence of the report originating from an obscure or unverifiable source.
Plausability check
Score:
8
Notes:
The claims about Steven Bartlett’s use of AI in his new podcast align with known developments in the podcasting industry. The ‘100 CEOs with Steven Bartlett’ podcast was launched in May 2025, and the use of AI in its production is consistent with recent technological advancements. The report includes supporting details from reputable outlets, such as Business Insider. The language and tone are consistent with the region and topic. No excessive or off-topic detail unrelated to the claim was noted. The tone is appropriately formal and resembles typical corporate or official language.
Overall assessment
Verdict (FAIL, OPEN, PASS): PASS
Confidence (LOW, MEDIUM, HIGH): HIGH
Summary:
The narrative is recent, with original quotes and sourced from a reputable organisation. The claims are plausible and supported by known developments in the podcasting industry. No significant issues were identified, leading to a high confidence in the assessment.
