Spotify Launches AI-Powered Prompted Playlist Feature

Spotify is rolling out a more advanced AI playlist feature in the US and Canada. The new tool, called Prompted Playlist, lets subscribers describe exactly what they want to hear, giving them unprecedented control over the music discovery process.

This launch comes just ahead of an upcoming price hike for the streaming service. The feature, which was trialed in New Zealand late last year, is designed to make playlist creation more intuitive and personalized than ever before.

The core concept is simple yet powerful: you describe it, Spotify creates it. The company describes the feature as a way to "control the Spotify algorithm." Instead of just asking for music, users are actively shaping how the platform discovers new tracks for them.

The system is designed to understand complex, nuanced requests. For example, you can guide it to make a playlist of songs you've saved to your Library but haven't listened to yet. It can tap into your entire Spotify history to understand your evolving tastes.

Alternatively, you can tell it to round up songs from a specific television show or movie. The feature uses real-time information about pop culture, charts, and history to find the perfect tracks.

Key capabilities include:

• Refreshing playlists on a daily or weekly schedule
• Editing each playlist's prompt at any time
• Receiving a short note explaining why each track was chosen

Beta testers have already found creative ways to use the new tool. According to Spotify, testers have used Prompted Playlist to revisit songs tied to specific moments in their lives and to filter out tracks they've overplayed lately.

"Others are asking for long, lyric-free electronic playlists to power through a workday, or mixing in artists connected to current pop culture moments and viral trends,"

The company wrote in a statement. This demonstrates the feature's flexibility, catering to both highly specific moods and broader, trend-based requests.

The system's ability to sift through vast amounts of data—including a user's personal listening history—allows for a level of customization that goes beyond standard algorithmic recommendations. It bridges the gap between a user's specific intent and the platform's discovery engine.

There is potential for some confusion, as Spotify already offers an "AI Playlist" feature. The company has clarified that this simpler, existing tool will remain available alongside the new Prompted variety.

The key difference lies in the depth of control and data processing. The new Prompted Playlist allows for finer tuning and can sift through more data points to deliver a more precise result. Think of the original AI Playlist as a helpful assistant, while the new Prompted version is a creative collaborator.

This dual approach gives users a choice: they can opt for the quick, algorithmically generated playlists of the past or dive into the more detailed, descriptive world of the new feature. It represents a significant evolution in how users interact with music recommendation engines.

The Prompted Playlist feature will be available to Spotify Premium subscribers in the US and Canada "by the end of the month." This phased rollout ensures the feature is stable and ready for a wider audience.

Once you have access, getting started is straightforward. To try it, simply:

1. Tap the Create button in the app
2. Select Prompted Playlist from the menu
3. Describe what you want to hear in the text box

This streamlined process is designed to make the transition from idea to playlist as seamless as possible. The feature is positioned to become a central part of the Spotify experience for Premium users in these initial markets.

The launch of Prompted Playlist marks a significant step forward in the integration of generative AI within mainstream entertainment platforms. It moves beyond simple recommendations to a more conversational, intent-driven model of music discovery.

For Spotify, this is a strategic move to enhance its value proposition for Premium subscribers, especially as it prepares for a price increase. By offering a more powerful and personalized tool, the company aims to justify the higher cost and retain its competitive edge in a crowded market.

As the feature rolls out to millions of users, it will be fascinating to see how people's listening habits evolve. The ability to precisely articulate a musical mood could fundamentally change the relationship between listeners and the algorithms that serve them.