News UK has unveiled Octave AI, a new automated audio advertising creation and optimisation platform developed as part of its Octave audio-visual business.
The company says the technology is to transform how advertisers produce and personalise radio and podcast ads, using artificial intelligence to make high-quality audio more accessible and efficient than ever before.
Developed in partnership with AudioStack, Octave AI can generate, deliver, and optimise broadcast-ready audio campaigns in minutes.
The platform uses AI-generated voices, music, and sound effects to create professional-quality ads that can be dynamically targeted across Octave’s in-stream and podcast network, reaching over 8.5 million monthly listeners through News Broadcasting’s media portfolio and premium inventory partners.
A standout feature is the system’s Dynamic Creative Optimisation capability, which allows advertisers to create countless versions of a single ad tailored to specific audiences, situations, or data triggers.
For example, an FMCG brand could alter its messaging depending on the weather, or a football sponsor could target different versions to fans of rival teams.
Octave AI goes a step further by using multiple data touchpoints, ensuring ads are served “in the moment” based on listener context, whether someone is exercising, commuting, or shopping.
Marks & Spencer and WPP Media have been announced as launch partners. M&S will use the platform to promote its new store opening in Cabot Circus, Bristol, with ads created through WPP Media’s Mindshare agency.
The campaign will deliver hyper-local messaging, highlighting key products and adapting creative before and after the store launch.
Russell Pedrick, Managing Director at Octave, said: “The launch of Octave AI significantly lowers the barriers to entry for audio advertising, making it far more accessible to the SME market as well as larger brands.
“The possibilities are endless with our DCO capabilities, meaning we can create limitless variations of audio ads powered by first party data.”
Zoe Poulson, Director of Business Development at AudioStack, added: “Octave brings together some of the UK’s best-loved audio brands. Octave AI will make connected audio advertising far more efficient and effective, with reduced production lead times and the ability to optimise on the fly.”
Ben Chadd, Chief Client Officer at Mindshare, said: “Combining AI creative with Dynamic Creative Optimisation, premium media, and first party data gives us a full end-to-end digital audio solution that delivers highly targeted, effective, and creative campaigns quickly and cost-efficiently.”
Octave AI will operate alongside Octave’s existing creative business, Engine, ensuring that while AI drives new efficiencies in advertising production, human-led creativity remains central to News UK’s editorial and creative output, the company says.
