Together, let us ensure that AI serves the public — and not the other way around. Let us ensure that radio continues to inform with integrity, connect with empathy, and speak with a human voice."
Khaled El-Enany, Director-General of UNESCO -
Radio and AI
Radio stands at a moment of transformation where AI can help strengthen its core mission: informing, educating, and entertaining. By automating routine tasks—like scheduling, voice-tracking, weather and sports updates, and administrative workflows—stations can free teams to focus on creativity and connection.
AI also supports deeper audience insights, more relevant advertising, personalized listening experiences, and the amplification of under represented voices. With tools that enhance fact checking, validation, and archival discovery, radio can deliver higher quality content while maintaining human judgment at the center. These innovations ultimately reinforce what matters most: listener trust.
AI can drive the next wave of media innovation
To use AI responsibly, broadcasters need thoughtful strategy rather than just technology. This includes creating ethical internal policies, protecting privacy and data ownership, ensuring transparency, and handling generative audio with care. It also means investing in staff skills and collaboration and putting legal and security safeguards in place to manage emerging risks.
UNESCO’s World Radio Day 2026 initiative encourages stations to approach AI as an opportunity for growth and innovation—while preserving the warmth, reliability, and human touch that audiences value.
Get involved in #WorldRadioDay
Among the many events being prepared for World Radio Day, UNESCO is encouraging radio stations to make use of new free resources, including and . As in previous years, stations can also to appear on the .
13 Ideas for Celebrating 13 February
Support radio stations prepare on-air programmes with “”.
Background
Proclaimed in 2011 by UNESCO and endorsed by the United Nations General Assembly () in 2012, World Radio Day marks the day was established in 1946.
Radio is a powerful medium for celebrating humanity in all its diversity and constitutes a platform for democratic discourse. At the global level, radio remains the most widely consumed medium. This unique ability to reach out the widest audience means radio can shape a society’s experience of diversity, stand as an arena for all voices to speak out, be represented and heard. Radio stations should serve diverse communities, offering a wide variety of programs, viewpoints and content, and reflect the diversity of audiences in their organizations and operations.
Radio is a low-cost medium specifically suited to reaching remote communities and vulnerable people, offering a platform to intervene in the public debate, irrespective of people’s educational level. It also plays a crucial role in emergency communication and disaster relief.
Radio is uniquely positioned to bring communities together and foster positive dialogue for change. By listening to its audiences and responding to their needs, radio services provide the diversity of views and voices needed to address the challenges we all face.
Listen
Awake at Night
How can someone work to ensure the humane and sustainable use of AI, connect the billions who are still offline, and balance a demanding career with raising four children? The UN global communications chief Melisa Fleming interviews the Secretary-General of the (ITU).
Media and information literacy are like glasses to see facts and truth.
