Abstract
Responding to the increase in audio media users on the internet, broadcasters in the world are devising strategies to penetrate into them through smart speakers featuring virtual assistants (or AI assistants—artificial intelligence voice assistants.) The online use of audio media started with personal computers and then smartphones and other mobile devices, and now the usage of smart speakers is expanding along with the development of the technology by mega IT companies such as Amazon and Google. Broadcasters have also started working on content development considering the use of smart speakers, and NPR, National Public Radio of the United States, and BBC, the UK's public service broadcaster, already offer content fitting for smart speakers. In Japan, too, broadcasters have launched a campaign promoting the use of smart speakers. This article also looks at the trend of content providers such as Spotify and Amazon Music in order to overview the current status and potential of audio media for the future.
