As the debate over artificial intelligence in the music curation process continues, Spotify has introduced an AI tool designed to craft playlists based on user-provided text prompts. This new feature for paid subscribers aligns with Spotify’s prior venture with its AI DJ, X.
Available on both Android and iPhone, this feature allows users to input requests like “relaxing music for allergy season” or “a playlist that makes me feel like the main character” to instantly generate personalized playlists.
The development of AI-generated playlists has been discreetly tested at the company since December. With Spotify set to increase its subscription prices, primarily attributed to its audiobook offerings, speculation suggests that investments in AI advancements could also be influencing these price adjustments.
Music streaming competitors Apple and Amazon and also spending big bucks on AI development. Apple’s exploration of generative AI for Apple Music remains under wraps, while Amazon has dabbled in AI to create sleep playlists.
While Spotify’s AI playlist generator enhances user experience, it signals a challenging future for human playlist curators, whose roles are increasingly overshadowed by algorithmic selections. Last year’s layoffs at Spotify included positions related to playlist curation, and the shift towards AI-driven features suggests a diminishing reliance on human input.
The arrival of the new feature is just another step in Spotify’s push-pull relationship with artificial intelligence. The platform has faced challenges with moderating AI-generated musical content, exemplified by the removal of an AI-created song deepfake of Drake and The Weeknd.
