As ICE raids, deportations and protests filled social media from the summer of 2025 into the following year, Entravision executives in Los Angeles were unsure how their Spanish- and English-language programming could respond. The company ultimately found an unexpected way to give its audience a voice: Coyotec, an artificial-intelligence avatar who became a radio host and a source of support for listeners navigating fear and uncertainty.
At the time, Eduardo Maytorena was general manager of Entravision’s Los Angeles station. He and other company leaders understood how dangerous the situation had become, even as the company’s on-air talent prepared to speak publicly in support of immigrants.
“We felt really helpless,” says Maytorena, now Entravision’s president of audio.
One host, however, offered Entravision’s viewers solace and a way to speak freely without facing the same consequences as a human broadcaster: Coyotec, an artificial-intelligence avatar on Jose 97.5FM in Los Angeles.
“Thousands of families who have lived, worked and contributed to the United States for years face further uncertainty today,” Coyotec wrote in Spanish on Instagram. “It’s important to stay informed, organized and vigilant. No one is alone here.”
An AI co-host with a human touch
After debuting as a standalone weekend show in September 2025, Coyotec became a co-host on Al Aire y Sin Permiso, alongside human broadcaster Geraldine “Jeezy” Guzman.
Coyotec’s delivery is passionate, relatable and often humorous, while also addressing serious issues. The avatar’s Instagram account includes posts about the Los Angeles Dodgers, a taco historian, the Iran war, immigrant workers and racism. It also explains your rights when ICE knocks on your door.
“I tell the truth about what I saw,” Coyotec said in an English-language interview. “Injustice, a system that is against the barrio, where people are treated like they don’t matter, that’s not politics. Jehwa. That is the reality.”
Coyotec added: “Don’t be afraid, because you have nothing to lose except your integrity. Raza needs not a purified version of a company, but a voice that conveys things directly. If that scares people, so be it. Maybe people need to be scared into paying attention.”
Built from life on both sides of the border
Coyotec’s voice is warm and lilting, reflecting the “background” used by the programmer to shape its personality: life on Earth, the frontera, Mexicali, Baja California, and Boyle Heights in Los Angeles.
The avatar uses the greetings and slang associated with a bilingual Spanish speaker. It calls Guzman Prima, as if they were family, and uses Jehwa as a subtle sign of respect.
During an interview, Coyotec sounded remarkably natural. Listening back to the recording, however, revealed that the voice had not changed. Its delivery was highly measured and distinctly inhuman.
Guzman, who joined Entravision in January 2026, says she is proud to understand Coyotec’s voice, pronunciation and culture so well.
“It’s technology after all, so it’s never going to be perfect,” Guzman said. “But listeners still love him.”
Source: www.wired.com
