Entravision has launched Coyotec, a Spanish-speaking AI radio host that advocates for immigrants and drives record listenership among young adults.
Broadcasting giant Entravision developed Coyotec during a period of social tension and community uncertainty, according to reporting by Wired. Station managers on Los Angeles outlet Jose 97.5 FM sought an on-air voice capable of addressing complex immigration topics freely without exposing human staff to potential risks. Built in roughly 10 days under the direction of audio president Eduardo Maytorena, Coyotec debuted with a solo weekend broadcast in September 2025 before stepping into a prime weekday morning slot alongside human presenter Geraldine Guzman on Al Aire y Sin Permiso.
The synthetic radio personality relies on a multi-model software architecture, as explained by LeaAnna Hernandez, executive vice president of AI strategy at Entravision. The system uses Anthropic's Claude Haiku to manage real-time conversational responses, ElevenLabs for voice generation, OpenAI's ChatGPT to draft initial scripts, and Midjourney for visual design work. Programmers built Coyotec with a border background drawing from Mexicali and Boyle Heights, allowing the character to mix Spanish and English slang while discussing local culture, political developments, and legal advice for immigrant communities on social media and on air.
The broadcasting initiative has generated substantial growth in ratings, Wired reported, citing internal Nielsen figures from Entravision. Between August and September 2026, cumulative Hispanic listenership for the station increased by 21.6 percent. Audience growth was particularly pronounced among younger demographics, with listeners aged 18 to 34 increasing by 84.9 percent, while Hispanic female listenership in that same age category surged by 500 percent. Following the success of the morning show, Entravision expanded the syndicated program to five additional markets across California, Nevada, and Texas.
Despite the programming success, the wider adoption of synthetic tools has drawn scrutiny from media workers. Former broadcast contractor Becca Guzman told Wired that she believes her voice-over work was reduced due to automated tools. However, Entravision management stated that no full-time staff have been laid off due to artificial intelligence, attributing workflow adjustments to standard software evolution. Company leadership maintained that the technology is designed to strengthen community engagement rather than eliminate positions.
Background
Automated scheduling and syndication have long played a central role in commercial radio, but generative artificial intelligence has accelerated experimentation across the industry. In June 2023, Oregon station Live 95.5 launched AI Ashley using Futuri Media technology, marking an early attempt at voice cloning on American airwaves. Other broadcasters followed with similar experiments, including Rock 108 in Iowa with AI DJ Tori, SiriusXM with virtual cohost qd.pi, and Radio Tel Aviv with Odelia AI. While international outlets in Poland and Australia have also tested synthetic presenters, major broadcaster iHeartRadio pledged to keep its station talent entirely human, underscoring a divided approach across the media landscape.
Why It Matters
The rise of Coyotec demonstrates how broadcasting companies can leverage artificial intelligence to cultivate highly targeted programming for specific demographics. Rather than serving merely as a back-office efficiency tool, synthetic avatars are emerging as distinct media entities capable of discussing sensitive social issues that traditional corporate programming might avoid. The sharp audience increase among Gen Z and millennial demographics suggests that younger listeners are willing to engage with artificial personalities when the cultural context and localized tone resonate with their lived experiences.
At the same time, the project highlights ongoing tensions surrounding workforce displacement and digital ethics. As broadcasting networks expand synthetic personalities into primary time slots and new regional markets, media executives will need to balance cost-saving automation with human talent. Clear operational boundaries will remain essential to maintaining listener trust while addressing industry concerns over job stability in automated newsrooms and studios.
Illustration: AI-generated image, not a photograph of the event.