“Everything is becoming synthesized”—Shark Tank star Mark Cuban shares his take on the future of media

Mark Cuban, who has served as a judge and investor on Shark Tank since 2011, is known for his views on business and technology. The billionaire entrepreneur and longtime Shark Tank investor recently shared his thoughts on the changing media landscape in an episode of Iman Hasan’s Biohack-it podcast, aired on April 17, 2025.

Referring to how Artificial Intelligence (AI) is altering the line between real and artificial media, Cuban said:

“I don't know for sure but I know AI is going to change it, you know. Everything is becoming synthesized, avatars you know you don't know what's real and what's not real,”

The Shark Tank star discussed the influence of AI on content creation, the value of human connection in a tech-driven world, and how young people can capitalize on emerging tools to build a career.

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Shark Tank Investor Mark Cuban opens up about the future of media

During the April 17 podcast with Iman Hasan, Mark Cuban shared his thoughts on the future of media. He said that AI is going to change everything. According to him, more content is being synthesized, and the line between real and fake is getting blurry. In his view, human connection may be the only thing left that feels real

Cuban explained that media consumption is shifting toward automated content production. He mentioned how products can now convert written material into spoken formats, such as podcasts.

“They’ll turn like training manuals or PDFs into a podcast,” he said. “It’s insane, right? Amazing. And they sound human, but it’s just tech.”

According to Cuban, recognizing when and how to use this kind of media is crucial. He emphasized the importance of human connection but acknowledged that consumers don’t always need real people to deliver content.

“There’s times when you don’t care if it’s a real person,” he said. “Understanding when someone wants to see somebody who’s real and human versus somebody who’s fine that’s an avatar—I don’t care, I just don’t want to read, I want to listen.”

He also highlighted the role of AI tools like Google’s Notebook LM, which he described as “insane” in terms of its ability to process and deliver information in new ways. Cuban believes that understanding how to both consume and apply these tools will become essential skills, especially for younger generations.

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Shark Tank investor Mark Cuban reveals how young people can profit from AI

Mark Cuban’s vision also sees big opportunities for making money by mastering AI. In an interview with CNBC Make It on October 25, 2024, Cuban explained what he would do if he were 16 again and wanted to earn extra income.

“I’d learn how to write prompts for artificial intelligence language models like OpenAI’s ChatGPT or Google’s Gemini,” he said. “Then I would go to businesses, particularly small- to medium-sized businesses that don’t understand AI yet. Doesn’t matter if I’m 16, I’d be teaching them as well.”

He described the process in three steps: learn prompt writing, teach peers how to use it, and sell services to businesses. According to him, this approach could lead to a six-figure income, even without a college degree. AI prompt engineering, the skill of creating inputs for AI chatbots, can pay anywhere from $30,000 to $129,500 a year, according to ZipRecruiter data.

The Shark Tank star told Iman Hasan during their April 17 conversation that he encourages his kids to experiment with AI tools. “You’ve got to play with this stuff because it’s just getting started,” he said. He believes younger people who start early and offer AI services to businesses will have a strong advantage.

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Shark Tank airs every Friday at 8 pm EST on ABC.