Spotify’s AI Playlists Now Let You Control Your Algorithm
▼ Summary
– Spotify is launching a new beta feature called Prompted Playlists, initially in New Zealand, which uses AI to create playlists based on user-written text prompts.
– The feature allows users to type detailed or simple instructions about what they want to listen to, and the AI curates a playlist using those prompts and the user’s listening history.
– Users can set these Prompted Playlists to regularly refresh with new songs, effectively creating a customizable, user-directed version of Spotify’s Discover Weekly playlist.
– This update is part of Spotify’s broader effort to give users more control, similar to a recent update allowing voice prompts for its AI DJ feature.
– The move mirrors trends on other platforms, like Instagram, which are also introducing ways for users to directly inform and guide their recommendation algorithms.
Spotify is rolling out a new beta feature that hands the reins of music discovery directly to its users. The innovative “Prompted Playlists” tool allows listeners to type detailed AI prompts describing exactly what they want to hear. Initially launching in New Zealand, this function crafts a custom playlist based on a user’s typed instructions combined with their personal listening history. Whether someone requests “upbeat indie rock for a road trip” or “ambient study music from the 2010s,” Spotify’s algorithm works to deliver a tailored set of tracks.
This development builds upon the foundation of Spotify’s popular Discover Weekly playlist but introduces a significant new layer of user agency. While Discover Weekly recently added options to prioritize certain genres, Prompted Playlists offer far more granular control by letting listeners directly guide the curation process through natural language. Users aren’t limited to brief descriptions; they can provide as much or as little detail as they prefer, experimenting with different prompts to see how the AI responds.
A particularly powerful aspect of the feature is the ability to set these AI-generated playlists to refresh automatically. By enabling regular updates based on the same original prompt, a user can effectively create a personalized, evolving version of Discover Weekly that remains aligned with their specific taste and mood. This transforms a static playlist into a dynamic music channel that continuously introduces new songs fitting a predefined theme.
This move is part of Spotify’s broader strategy to integrate more user-controlled AI tools into its platform. Earlier this year, the service’s AI DJ feature received an update allowing for voice prompts, letting listeners verbally steer their listening session. The introduction of Prompted Playlists represents a logical next step, applying similar interactive AI principles to playlist creation. It reflects a wider industry trend where platforms are seeking to make their recommendation algorithms more transparent and responsive to direct user input.
(Source: The Verge)
