Spotify already discovered success with its widespread AI DJ function, and now the streaming music service is bringing AI to playlist creation. The corporate on Monday launched AI playlists into beta, a brand new possibility that enables customers to generate a playlist primarily based on written prompts.
The function will initially develop into obtainable to customers on Android and iOS units within the U.Okay. and Australia and shall be iterated on within the months forward.
Along with extra normal playlist creation requests, like these primarily based on style or time-frame, Spotify’s use of AI means folks may ask for a greater variety of customized playlists, like “songs to serenade my cat” or “beats to battle a zombie apocalypse,” Spotify suggests. Prompts can reference all kinds of issues, like locations, animals, actions, film characters, colours or emojis. The corporate notes that the perfect playlists are generated utilizing prompts that comprise a mix of genres, moods, artists and a long time, nonetheless.
Spotify additionally leverages its understanding of customers’ tastes to customise the playlists it makes with the function.
After the playlist is generated, customers can then use the AI to revise and refine the top end result by issuing instructions like “much less upbeat” or “extra pop,” for instance. Customers can even swipe left on any songs to take away them from the playlist.
When it comes to the know-how, Spotify says it’s utilizing giant language fashions (LLMs) to know the person’s intent. Then, Spotify makes use of its personalization know-how — the knowledge it has in regards to the listener’s historical past and preferences — to meet the immediate and create a customized AI-generated playlist for the person.
The corporate makes use of a spread of third-party instruments for its AI and machine studying experiences.
TechCrunch first reported in October 2023 that Spotify was growing AI playlists, when reverse engineers Chris Messina and Alessandro Paluzzi shared screenshots of code from Spotify’s app that referred to AI playlists that have been “primarily based in your prompts.”
Spotify on the time declined to touch upon the discovering, saying it will not provide a press release on doable new options. Nonetheless, in December 2023, the corporate confirmed that it was testing AI-driven playlist creation after a TikTok video of the function surfaced exhibiting what the Spotify person described as “Spotify’s ChatGPT.”
The function is discovered within the “Your Library” tab in Spotify’s app by tapping on the plus button (+) on the high proper of the display screen. A pop-up menu seems exhibiting the AI Playlist as a brand new possibility alongside the present “Playlist” and “Mix” choices.
If a listener can’t consider any prompts to strive, Spotify presents immediate ideas to assist folks get began, like “get centered at work with instrumental electronica,” “fill within the silence with background café music,” “get pumped up with enjoyable, upbeat, and optimistic songs” or “discover a distinct segment style like Witch Home” and lots of others.
To save lots of an AI playlist, faucet the “Create” button so as to add it to the library.
The corporate notes the AI has guardrails round it so it is not going to reply to offensive prompts or these centered on present occasions or particular manufacturers.
Spotify has been investing in AI know-how to enhance its streaming service for a lot of months. With the launch of AI DJ, which expanded globally final yr, the corporate used a mix of Sonantic and OpenAI know-how to create a man-made model of the voice of Spotify’s head of cultural partnerships, Xavier “X” Jernigan, who introduces personalised music choices to the person. Final yr, Spotify mentioned it was investing in in-house analysis to raised perceive the newest in AI and enormous language fashions.
CEO Daniel Ek has additionally teased to buyers different methods Spotify may leverage AI, together with by summarizing podcasts, creating AI-generated audio adverts, and extra. The corporate has additionally appeared into utilizing AI tech that may clone a podcast host’s voice for host-read adverts.
Forward of AI playlists, Spotify launched an analogous function, Area of interest Mixes, that allowed customers to create personalised playlists utilizing prompts, however the product didn’t leverage AI know-how and was extra restricted by way of its language understanding.
