Spotify wants to give users control over their favorite music. And it’s testing an AI feature called Prompted Playlists to help listeners personalize their experience.
Like most online media services, the music streaming service has a vast catalog with recommendations and suggested content. This is usually driven by an algorithm, depending on various things, such as what region the user is from, what is trending, etc.
That’s what the company wants to change with Spotify Prompted Playlists. You probably know that Spotify already has an AI DJ, but the new experience feels more personalized. As the name suggests, Prompted Playlist is an AI feature that analyzes the user’s prompt and acts on it. Users can describe the type of music they want to listen to, and the AI will also look at the user’s listening history to find songs that match their tastes and queries. It then creates a playlist that is tailored to the user’s request.
Some examples given by Spotify include “music from my top artists of the last five years, and deeper cuts I haven’t heard yet.” Or, “High-energy pop and hip-hop for a 30-minute 5K run that keeps a steady pace before easing into relaxing songs to cool off. Include music from this year’s biggest movies and hottest TV shows that match my tastes.” Those are some complicated prompts, but if you’re unsure what to ask the AI, tap “Thoughts” and it will display some suggested prompts.
The streaming service says that prompted playlists can be used to curate Discover Weekly, exactly how you want it. This helps users discover new music genres or their favorite artists, and in turn give the artists new fans. A Video demo on Spotify’s website Shows how inspired playlists work.
It is not only a curated playlist but also updates automatically. It sure looks good.
But it’s not available to everyone yet, and certainly not to free users. Spotify’s prompted playlists are currently only available to users with a Premium subscription in New Zealand. This is because it is still in beta.
Yesterday, Spotify launched music videos in the US and Canada. Prices for users in the US are set to increase in early 2026.
I think prompted playlists are a good use of AI.
Do you use Spotify?
Thanks for reading..
