Wondercraft Review: AI-Generated Podcasting (With Parrot Mode!)
Just when you thought AI was everywhere in podcasting, generating text, voices, or translating content, a new tool comes along that does all three. Wondercraft can use AI to edit prompts into a script, provide a library of AI-generated voices and music, and generate a podcast episode in a few minutes.
Not only that, but Wondercraft’s Parrot Mode can also imitate your speaking style and translate your text into another language. And, you can publish an episode with one click.
Before building a bunker to protect yourself from the coming android coup, remember: AI isn’t better than humans; it’s just faster. If you want to make a simple podcast very quickly, Wondercraft’s AI-fuelled script tool, Parrot Mode, translation, and one-click publishing can make you the Speed Racer of podcasting.
Our Wondercraft link is an affiliate, meaning we’ll earn a small commission should you sign up via it – never at any extra cost to you. Affiliates help support all our free (human created!) content, but, rest assured, they never stop us from reviewing fairly and honestly.
In this Wondercraft review, I won’t cover everything the tool can do, as that would require a small book. Instead, I’ll focus on a handful of features that’ll be of particular interest to podcasters. Let’s go…
Wondercraft’s AI-Generated Script Tool
Got something to say, but you’re not sure how to say it? Wondercraft has specific AI prompts for almost any use case. Or, if you have notes, press releases, blog posts, or any text you can copy and paste into the editing window, Wondercraft can use it to generate a podcast script. This software can generate a script from a URL, pulling text directly from the web page and including the information as it edits.
The AI script generator can even generate an advertisement script from an image. Upload a picture and type in a call to action, and the script tool will provide a short script based on both.
Accuracy seems to be based more on the typed prompt than the image, though. I tested this by uploading a picture of my dog taking a nap. When the CTA prompt said, “Give your dog an ABC treat,” the script said, “Imagine that tail wagging even more enthusiastically because of these tasty rewards.” But when I changed the CTA to “Give your dog a Soporific treat,” the script’s text emphasized calm and relaxation.
Wondercraft’s Parrot Mode (Say It Like This…)
The most frequently repeated criticism of AI-generated voices is that they lack nuance. Often, the cadence and intonation don’t sound natural. Now, with Parrot Mode, you can show the AI voice what inflection to imitate. Even if you whisper, the AI-generated voice will follow your manner of speaking. The sample below shows you what Wondercraft’s voices typically sound like. See if you can find the spot where I used Parrot Mode.
The Parrot Mode feature alone is a breakthrough. Coaching the artificial voice to emote is about as close to puppetry as podcasting gets.
Generate Your Voice with AI
Podcasters can train Wondercraft to generate a voice that sounds like theirs. But, when we tried to make an AI-generated version of Colin’s voice, Wondercraft made him sound American. Perhaps he was all along, and this Scottish thing was just a gimmick?
On the one hand, Colin’s American doppelganger sounds great. On the other hand, Wondercraft eliminated all the unique nuances of Colin’s voice that make it special, which I find depressing. Not only did the tool change his accent, but the occasional bass gravel in his voice (that shows a throat produced these sounds) is gone.
Wondercraft’s Translation, or “Dubs”
Can’t wait to take advantage of the growing Latinx interest in podcasts? Is your podcast big in Japan? Wondercraft’s Dubs feature can translate from eleven languages into any of eighteen languages. Some have separate settings for regional dialects: for example, the Spanish it chooses can be Castillian or Mexican. Upload an MP3 or MP4 file, and select the origin and destination languages.
Wondercraft offers the option to have a human translator check the dub for accuracy for an additional fee.
Publishing & Analytics
Wondercraft can generate an RSS feed for your podcast, which you can submit to directories. This means you don’t need to have a separate podcast hosting service, though if you prefer to download your file and upload it to your favorite media host, you can. Or, click “share,” and Wondercraft will generate an episode link.
What podcasters gain in ease and speed with Wondercraft, though, they lose in knowledge. Nothing in the (otherwise extensive) Help Center shows how to find your podcast’s download numbers or any statistical measurement. To measure your podcast’s impact, you’d have to log into each directory (e.g., Apple Podcasts Connect, Spotify for Podcasters, YouTube), take notes, and combine each data set. Even then, you wouldn’t get the full picture. Wondercraft can do a lot, but at this moment in time, choose a dedicated hosting provider if you’re serious about your podcast.
Wondercraft Pricing
Wondercraft operates on a credit system. Each credit is equal to one minute of audio. The free tier gives users ample time to experiment with all of Wondercraft’s features. If you pay annually, the prices are as follows:
- Free: This tier gets four monthly credits, use of the AI Script Assistant, a voice library with ten standard voices, and a shareable web page for your podcast episodes.
- Creator: For $29 per month, you get everything from the Free level, 60 credits per month, voice cloning for one user, 40 premium voices, access to the Music Library with over 200 pieces of music, and access to the video editor.
- Pro: For $99 per month, you get one seat and 300 credits per month, with everything from the Creator tier, and Parrot Mode, professional voice cloning, team collaboration, and access to all premium voices. Coming soon to the Pro tier: a library of sound effects and timeline view.
On Wondercraft’s pricing page, the Pro tier displays a slider to adjust so you can see how the price changes based on the number of monthly credits and seats per account. For example, if you need two team member logins but only use 150 credits per month, the price would be $108/month when you pay annually.
Translation with human quality assurance costs 15 credits per minute of audio.
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Read article called: AI Tools for Podcasters: The Ultimate List for 2024Wondercraft Is Quick and Simple, Like a Brick Through a Window
I barely needed an introduction to Wondercraft. Despite the helpful tutorials and descriptions, the interface is intuitive and straightforward. In fact, Wondercraft is so quick and easy to use that podcasters’ enthusiasm could run right over details. Making podcast cover art or taking time to fact-check was never mentioned.
Remember, Wondercraft’s AI Script Generator can pull information from a blog post with only the URL. If a podcaster skimmed the text on that page and didn’t check it for accuracy (or even hyperbole), they may publish an inaccurate podcast. The FTC pays attention to influencer marketing, so you want to make sure your information is correct, especially if you plan to monetize your podcast.
Considering that Google’s launch of AI Overview has been full of problems (i.e., suggesting glue as a pizza topping), trusting AI to summarize a lot of information in broad strokes can be dangerous if you don’t check the details.
And, not knowing where or how often a podcast is downloaded is like performing with no audience response.
Wondercraft is a good tool for:
- podcasts where you have standardized and vetted source information, such as a press release
- private podcasts, where you don’t need to use a directory to share it, and analytics aren’t vital
- when timing is crucial: for example, if you’re a journalist where breaking news is happening, publishing the story quickly may be more important than the nuance of voice or environment
- a situation where you have to protect anonymous sources by using AI voices.
When a service does almost everything for the user, ease kills individuality. It’s the difference between a mass-produced machine-knit sweater and a singular hand-knit sweater. But Wondercraft provides an opportunity for you to bring as much of your own unique voice and vision to your podcast as you like. With all the structure Wondercraft provides, it’s much simpler to make a clean, straightforward, and quirk-free podcast.
