Audible announces AI-powered Interactive Stories, starting with Dracula

The Interactive Story involves Dracula's long-suffering servant Renfield. Audible says Renfield will assign the listener a role, goal and stakes. The company says the listener responds in their own words and the character reacts in real time. The feature is scheduled to launch later this fall as a beta release. Audible did not provide an official date, but the new audio adaptation of Dracula comes out on October 1, so the beta will probably arrive around then, Engadget reported.

Andy Tsao, chief product and analytics officer at Audible, said, "AI is allowing us to create new interactive experiences that today's listeners, especially younger audiences, are craving." Engadget noted that a recent Pew Research survey seems to suggest younger audiences are wary of AI, adding that Audible may have different data points about what they are currently craving.

Audible has also announced the next Interactive Story, set in the world of the upcoming Exoplanet original audio novel. That experience was created alongside author Benjamin Percy and is set to release on November 5.

To coincide with the new Dracula adaptation, Audible is launching a feature called Character Guide. It visually displays who is speaking in real time directly on the app and includes spoiler-free character cards. Engadget reported that this feature is already available with the platform's adaptation of George Orwell's 1984 and is also coming to Bram Stoker's Dracula and Exoplanet.

Audible has announced Visual Explorer as well. The upcoming tool will display relevant imagery and visual context at key moments while a listener is hearing a story. The platform says listeners might glimpse a map or be given the ability to explore an image tied to a pivotal moment. A beta version of Visual Explorer will accompany The Cultural Tutor's Grand Tour: The Story of Europe in Six Cities, which Engadget described as an audio tour of various historical destinations throughout Europe.