Particle’s AI News App Listens to Podcasts for Interesting Clips So You Don’t Have to
Key Points
- Particle adds Podcast Clips, automatically extracting relevant podcast moments for each news story.
- Embedding models match stories across podcasts, while proprietary AI defines clip start and end points.
- Transcripts are provided with real‑time word highlighting; ElevenLabs powers the transcription.
- Entity pages aggregate all recent podcast mentions, definitions, and related news for notable figures.
- Particle+ subscription ($2.99/month) offers custom news summaries, premium voice options, unlimited crosswords, and private AI chatbot queries.
- The Android release introduces a refreshed browse tab, timely topics like the Winter Olympics, and enhanced entity pages.
- More than half of weekly users are outside the United States, with India as the top non‑U.S. market.
Particle, the AI‑powered news app founded by former Twitter engineers, has added a Podcast Clips feature that automatically finds and surfaces the most relevant moments from a wide range of podcasts alongside related news stories. Using embedding models and proprietary clipping logic, the app can match dozens of stories within a single episode and provide audio clips or highlighted transcripts. The Android release also brings a new browse tab, entity pages, and a subscription tier called Particle+ that offers premium voices, unlimited crosswords, and private AI chatbot queries. About half of Particle’s weekly users are outside the United States, with India as the largest non‑U.S. market.
Podcast Clips Feature
Particle, an AI‑driven news platform created by former Twitter product leaders, has rolled out a new capability called Podcast Clips. The feature scans thousands of podcast episodes, using vector embedding models supplied by large‑language‑model providers, to detect moments that discuss the same stories appearing in the app’s news feed. When a match is found, Particle creates a short audio excerpt—typically under a minute—and attaches it to the corresponding article. Users can listen to the clip directly in the feed or read a synchronized transcript with highlighted words as they are spoken.
CEO Sara Beykpour explained that a single podcast often touches on ten or twenty different news items, and the AI helps determine where each story begins and ends. While the embedding models handle relevance detection, Particle’s own “secret sauce” decides the exact clip boundaries. The company also leverages ElevenLabs technology for high‑quality transcription.
Entity Pages and Expanded Content
Beyond linking clips to articles, Particle’s AI understands entities such as people, places, and organizations. Users can tap an entity name—like OpenAI CEO Sam Altman—to see a dedicated page that aggregates all recent podcast appearances, related stories, definitions, and linked topics. The Android update adds a refreshed browse tab that highlights timely subjects, including the upcoming Winter Olympics, alongside standard categories like politics and entertainment.
Monetization and New Features
Particle introduced its first paid tier, Particle+, priced at $2.99 per month or $29.99 per year. Subscribers gain access to premium functionalities, including customizable news summaries in a preferred style, a selection of voice options for the personalized audio feed, unlimited crossword puzzles, and the ability to ask private questions to the app’s AI chatbot. The “Listen to the News” feature lets users consume articles in audio format, further blending reading and listening experiences.
Global Audience
While the app has not disclosed specific usage metrics, Beykpour noted that a majority of Particle’s users are international. Roughly 55 % of weekly activity comes from outside the United States, with India representing the largest foreign market at 15 % of the user base. The Android launch expands Particle’s reach to a broader global audience, complementing its existing iOS presence.