When radio companies talk about innovation, it often means a new app, a fresh logo, or another digital initiative.
Entravision took a very different approach.
Less than a year after launching what it described as the first AI-powered Latino radio personality, the company says the experiment is delivering results that are impossible to ignore.
The focus is “Al Aire y Sin Permiso,” the weekday morning show airing from 8 to 10 a.m. on Spanish Adult Hits “José 97.5/107.1,” serving the greater Los Angeles and Southern California region through KLYY Riverside, KSSC Ventura, KSSD Fallbrook, and KSSE Arcadia. The program debuted in September 2025 as a collaboration between Entravision Audio President Eduardo Maytorena and Executive Vice President of AI Strategy LeaAnna Hernandez. According to Entravision, the show’s audience growth is significantly outpacing broader market trends among key Hispanic male demographics.
At the center of the concept is a partnership between longtime Los Angeles radio personality Geraldine “GeeGee” Guzman and an AI-powered co-host known as “El Coyotec.” While the idea initially raised eyebrows throughout the industry, Entravision believes the combination of a trusted human personality and artificial intelligence has created a listening experience unlike anything else currently available on radio.
The company says audience response has exceeded expectations.
According to data shared by Entravision, the show posted substantial gains among Hispanic male listeners between March and April 2026, including significant increases in the 25-54, 18-49, and 18-34 demographics while overall market growth remained far more modest. Those numbers have quickly transformed the program from an industry curiosity into one of the most closely watched experiments in modern broadcasting.
What makes the show unique isn’t simply the use of artificial intelligence.
It’s how the technology is being positioned.
Rather than replacing human talent, Entravision has built the program around the interaction between Guzman and her digital counterpart. The company says the show’s appeal comes from the contrast between GeeGee’s deep roots in Los Angeles radio and El Coyotec’s ability to rapidly process information, identify emerging trends, and introduce unexpected perspectives into daily conversations.
That balance appears to be resonating with listeners.
Guzman, a veteran of the Los Angeles radio scene, has spent years building relationships with Southern California audiences. Entravision believes that connection has helped listeners embrace a concept that could have otherwise felt intimidating or impersonal. Instead, the station has positioned AI as part of the conversation rather than the conversation itself.
The launch also represents a broader strategy for Entravision as the company continues investing in emerging technology while maintaining its focus on Latino audiences.
Hernandez has emphasized that the project is designed not only to entertain but also to encourage curiosity about technology and innovation within the Hispanic community. The company views the program as a way to demonstrate that Latinos are not merely consumers of new technology but active participants in shaping its future.
Meanwhile, Maytorena sees the initiative as part of a larger evolution taking place across the audio business.
For decades, radio’s greatest strength has been its ability to create emotional connections with listeners. Entravision’s wager is that artificial intelligence can enhance those connections when paired with strong personalities, compelling storytelling, and authentic cultural relevance. The early results suggest listeners are at least willing to give the concept a chance.
Whether AI-powered personalities become commonplace throughout broadcasting remains to be seen.
What is clear, however, is that Entravision has moved beyond theory and into real-world execution. While much of the industry continues debating what artificial intelligence might mean for radio’s future, José 97.5/107.1 is already putting that future on the air every weekday morning.
And for now, Southern California listeners appear to be tuning in.
Love it or question it, Entravision deserves credit for doing something increasingly rare in radio: taking a legitimate risk. In an industry often criticized for playing it safe, “Al Aire y Sin Permiso” is proving that innovation still has a place on the dial.
On The Dial covers breaking radio industry news, including layoffs, programming changes, talent moves, and broadcast trends across the United States.