Key Takeaways
• Sydney’s CADA radio station has confirmed that “Thy,” a weekday DJ, is an AI radio host.
• Thy’s voice, likeness, and name are modeled after a real employee from ARN Media’s finance team.
• The AI-driven show is powered by ElevenLabs, a generative AI platform specializing in voice synthesis.
• Thy was on-air for months before her non-human identity was publicly disclosed.
Sydney-based hip-hop station CADA, owned by ARN Media, has officially revealed that one of its weekday hosts—“Thy”—is an AI-generated voice, marking a first in Australian broadcast history.
The confirmation follows growing speculation from listeners who questioned Thy’s background due to her lack of digital footprint and unusual on-air consistency.
Thy: An AI Persona with Real-World Roots
Thy has been hosting a daily segment from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m., curating music and commentary across Sydney’s airwaves. But behind the microphone, there is no live person—just generative audio.
CADA confirmed that the voice known as Thy is not a traditional DJ, but instead a product of synthetic voice technology.
However, the AI persona was not entirely fictitious; it was designed using the likeness, name, and voice of a real human staff member from ARN Media’s finance department.
“While the Thy you hear on air is AI, they’re based off a real-life CADA employee.”
This acknowledgment provides transparency around the origins of the AI host, particularly important as AI-generated media increasingly enters public-facing roles.
Powered by ElevenLabs: AI Voice Technology Behind the Mic
The core technology behind Thy’s on-air presence is provided by ElevenLabs, a U.S.-based generative audio platform. ElevenLabs specializes in turning written text into natural-sounding speech, making it ideal for voice-driven media formats such as radio and podcasts.
• The platform enables life-like speech synthesis from text.
• Broadcasters can maintain consistent audio quality without live voice actors.
• Thy’s content is scripted, then converted into audio using ElevenLabs’ tools.
The use of this platform allows radio stations like CADA to deliver high-quality, engaging content at scale, while maintaining tight control over tone and delivery.
Listeners Raise Questions Before Disclosure
Before CADA’s official announcement, observant listeners noticed something unusual about Thy: no Instagram, no interviews, and minimal online presence.
This triggered widespread curiosity and a wave of online speculation, prompting some to investigate further.
The confirmation came only after sustained interest and internet sleuthing, which found Thy’s show page offering only general content information and lacking any biographical detail.
A Cautionary Yet Innovative Broadcast Moment
Thy’s existence as an AI raises new ethical and operational questions for the broadcasting industry. While AI tools offer cost-saving advantages and content consistency, the use of a real person’s likeness and voice—even with internal permissions—highlights the need for:
• Clear audience disclosure when synthetic voices are used.
• Transparent sourcing of likeness and voice models.
• Industry-wide discussions on the role of AI in live media.
CADA’s decision to acknowledge Thy’s true identity, rather than perpetuate the illusion, may set a precedent for responsible AI usage in public-facing media.
With Thy now publicly recognized as Australia’s first AI radio host, CADA has taken a bold step into the next frontier of radio broadcasting.
Combining human elements with AI performance, Thy’s persona is a hybrid of authenticity and automation.
Whether welcomed or met with skepticism, the move reflects the rapidly evolving media landscape where AI is no longer behind the scenes—it’s now a voice on the airwaves.
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