Spotify has already seen success with its popular AI DJ feature, but now the streaming music service is bringing AI to playlist creation. The company on Monday introduced AI Playlists into beta, a new option that allows users to generate playlists based on written prompts.
The feature will initially be available to users of Android and iOS devices in the UK and Australia, and will continue to be available over the coming months.
In addition to more standard playlist creation requests, such as those based on genre or time frame, Spotify uses AI to help users create songs like “Songs to serenade your cat” or “Songs to fight the zombie apocalypse.” You'll be able to request a wider range of custom playlists, including 'Beat'. ” suggests Spotify. Prompts can refer to all sorts of things, including places, animals, activities, movie characters, colors, emojis, and more. However, the company notes that the best playlists are generated using prompts that combine genre, mood, artist, and decade.
Spotify also leverages its understanding of your preferences to customize the playlists it creates with this feature.
After the playlist is generated, users can use the AI to modify and adjust the final result by issuing commands such as “less cheerful” and “more pop,” for example. Users can also swipe a song to the left to remove it from the playlist.
Regarding technology, Spotify says it uses large-scale language models (LLM) to understand user intent. Spotify then uses personalization technology (information about a listener's history and preferences) to fill in the prompts and create a personalized, AI-generated playlist for the user.
The company uses a variety of third-party tools for its AI and machine learning experiences.
TechCrunch first reported that Spotify was developing AI playlists in October 2023, when reverse engineers Chris Messina and Alessandro Paluzzi created a Spotify app that references “prompt-based” AI playlists. I shared a screenshot of the code.
Spotify declined to comment on the findings at the time, saying it would not make statements about potential new features. However, the company confirmed in December 2023 that it was testing AI-driven playlist creation after a TikTok video surfaced showing a feature a Spotify user described as “Spotify's ChatGPT.”
You can find this 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 with AI Playlist as a new option alongside the existing 'Playlist' and 'Blend' options.
If listeners can't think of prompts to try, Spotify offers suggestions for people to get started, such as “Focus on work with instrumental electronica,” “Fill the silence with cafe background music,” or “Pick up your mood with music.” Instantly provide helpful suggestions. “Fun, upbeat, positive songs” and “exploring niche genres such as witch's house.”
To save an AI playlist, tap the Create button to add it to your library.
The company says it has guardrails around its AI and will not respond to aggressive prompts or prompts that focus on current events or specific brands.
Spotify has been investing in AI technology for months to improve its streaming service. With the launch of AI DJ, which expanded globally last year, the company combined his Sonantic and his OpenAI technologies to create and personalize an artificial version of the voice of Spotify's Head of Cultural Partnerships, Xavier “X” Jernigan. We introduced the selected songs to users. user. Last year, Spotify announced it was investing in internal research to better understand cutting-edge AI and large-scale language models.
CEO Daniel Ek also hinted to investors other ways Spotify could leverage AI, including creating podcast summaries and AI-generated audio ads. The company is also looking into using AI technology to replicate a podcast host's voice and use it in ads that the host reads.
Prior to AI playlists, Spotify announced Niche Mixes, a similar feature that allows users to create personalized playlists using prompts, but this product does not leverage AI technology and is language It was more limited in terms of understanding.