Building an AI-native Podcast App to Turn Listening Into Learning | Kevin Smith (Co-founder, Snipd)

CRAFTED.

Kevin Smith is building a totally new kind of podcast app.

Snipd is an AI-native podcast app and building it required a few mindset shifts.

First, what even is a podcast? The way Kevin sees it, podcasts are knowledge. So where most podcast players are, as Kevin calls them, "repurposed music players", Snipd is designed to help you learn. As people listen to episodes, they, or an AI, can save “snips” or interesting moments that they want to remember or share. And the app will also help you review what you've heard, so it reinforces what you've learned.

A second mindset shift is how Kevin had to retrain his engineering brain to build with generative AI. He no longer thinks in if-then-else statements. Rather, he asks himself: How would an intern do it? And not just one intern, but infinite interns…

I learned a ton from the way Kevin thinks and builds, and you will too.

Plus, we discuss the future of podcasting, which looks pretty… weird. You'll talk back to your podcasts, hosts may be synthetic, and shows may not even be designed (at least initially) for human ears.

Chapters:

• (01:30) - Introducing Snipd
• (03:50) - What led Kevin to found Snipd
• (06:10) - How AI changes what's possible with podcasts
• (08:45) - Building with Gen AI requires a mindset shift
• (11:40) - How would an intern solve this?
• (12:35) - How podcast listening and podcasting will change with AI
• (17:35) - Why apps will become your "best friends"
• (22:00) - Why you may talk back to your podcasts

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CRAFTED. listeners can try Snipd, and get a free month of the premium version, here.

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