Audible thinks you want to have an AI-generated conversation with Dracula’s beleaguered servant
Audible just announced something called Interactive Stories, which allows listeners to “become part of the story world.” This is done through generative AI, so people can sort of talk to a character. The first of these experiences will accompany the upcoming Audible Original adaptation of Bram Stoker’s film. Dracula.
The interactive story involves Renfield, Dracula’s long-suffering servant. Audible says Renfield will assign the listener “a role, a goal and stakes.” The platform also promises that “the listener responds in their own words and the character reacts in real time.” So it’s kind of a LARP type thing, which could be fun depending on how it’s done. The generative AI aspect doesn’t give me much hope, but we’ll have to wait and see.
“AI allows us to create new interactive experiences that today’s listeners, especially younger audiences, crave,” said Andy Tsao, the company’s director of product and analytics. A recent Pew Research survey seems to suggest that younger audiences are wary of AI, but perhaps Audible has different data as to what they currently “want.”
The platform says this feature will launch later this fall in beta. He didn’t provide an official date, but this new audio adaptation of Dracula comes out October 1st. It will probably happen then.
Audible also announced the upcoming interactive story. It takes place in the world of the future Exoplanet original audio novel. The Experience was created alongside author Benjamin Percy and is set to release on November 5.
The company is also launching something called Character Guide to coincide with this new Dracula adaptation. This actually seems very useful. It visually displays who’s speaking in real time right on the app and includes spoiler-free character cards. It can be difficult to follow dozens of characters with an audiobook because there are no visual references.
This is already available with the platform’s adaptation of George Orwell’s novel. 1984. He also arrives at Bram Stoker Dracula and the above Exoplanet.
Finally, Audible announced something called Visual Explorer. This upcoming tool will display “relevant images and visual context at key moments” while listening to a story. The platform says that “listeners might see a map” or have the opportunity to “explore an image related to a pivotal moment.” A beta version of this feature will accompany The cultural tutor’s grand tour: the history of Europe in six citieswhich is essentially an audio tour of various historical destinations across the continent.
