Spotify Introduces Custom AI Playlists Created with User Prompts

Spotify Introduces AI-Powered Playlist Creation in Beta

Following the success of its AI DJ feature, Spotify is now bringing the power of artificial intelligence to playlist creation. The streaming music giant has launched AI playlists into beta, allowing users to generate personalized playlists based on written prompts.

Availability and Expansion Plans

The AI playlist feature will initially be available to Android and iOS users in the United Kingdom and Australia. Spotify plans to iterate on the feature in the coming months, likely expanding its availability to more regions.

Unleashing Creativity with Prompts

Spotify’s AI-powered playlist creation goes beyond the standard requests based on genre or time frame. Users can now ask for a wide variety of custom playlists, such as “tunes to accompany a beach volleyball game” or “melodies to soothe a crying baby.” The prompts can reference various elements, including places, animals, activities, movie characters, colors, or even emojis. For the best results, Spotify recommends using prompts that combine genres, moods, artists, and decades.

Personalization at Its Core

Spotify leverages its deep understanding of users’ tastes to tailor the AI-generated playlists to each individual listener. By considering the user’s listening history and preferences, the platform ensures that the playlists align with their unique musical inclinations.

Refining the AI-Generated Playlists

After the initial playlist generation, users can further refine the results using AI commands. For instance, they can request “more acoustic” or “less electronic” to adjust the playlist’s vibe. Additionally, users can swipe left on songs to remove them from the playlist, allowing for a more personalized listening experience.

The Technology Behind AI Playlists

Spotify employs large language models (LLMs) to comprehend the user’s intent behind the prompts. The platform then combines this understanding with its personalization technology, which takes into account the listener’s history and preferences, to create a unique AI-generated playlist tailored to the user.

Early Indications and Confirmation

In October 2023, The Zero Byte reported on Spotify’s development of AI playlists, based on findings by reverse engineers Chris Messina and Alessandro Paluzzi. While Spotify initially declined to comment, the company confirmed the testing of AI-driven playlist creation in December 2023, following the surfacing of a TikTok video showcasing the feature.

Accessing AI Playlists

Users can find the AI Playlist feature in the “Your Library” tab of the Spotify app by tapping the plus button (+) at the top right of the screen. A pop-up menu will appear, displaying the AI Playlist option alongside the existing “Playlist” and “Blend” options.

Prompt Suggestions and Guardrails

To help users get started, Spotify offers prompt suggestions such as “immerse yourself in a virtual jazz club atmosphere,” “create a soundtrack for a road trip through the countryside,” or “discover the hidden gems of Nordic folk music.” The AI has guardrails in place to prevent responses to offensive prompts or those related to current events or specific brands.

Saving AI Playlists

To save an AI playlist, users can simply tap the “Create” button, and the playlist will be added to their library for future listening.

Spotify’s Ongoing Investment in AI

Spotify has been investing in AI technology to enhance its streaming service for several months. The company’s AI DJ feature, which expanded globally last year, utilizes Sonantic and OpenAI technology to create an artificial version of the voice of Spotify’s head of cultural partnerships, Xavier “X” Jernigan. The AI DJ introduces personalized song selections to users. Spotify has also been investing in in-house research to stay at the forefront of AI and large language model advancements.

CEO Daniel Ek has hinted at other potential AI-powered features, such as podcast summarization, AI-generated audio ads, and more. The company has even explored using AI technology to clone a podcast host’s voice for host-read ads.

Prior to the launch of AI playlists, Spotify introduced a similar feature called Niche Mixes, which allowed users to create personalized playlists using prompts. However, Niche Mixes did not leverage AI technology and had more limited language understanding capabilities compared to the new AI playlists.