Spotify launches AI playlists — now you can create a tracklist from a text prompt

(Image credit: Spotify)

Spotify has turned to artificial intelligence to help listeners create the perfect playlist from nothing more than a simple text prompt.

The Premium-user only feature is currently in beta and initially only available in the UK and Australia but will expand to other countries in the coming months.

It builds on the popular AI-powered Spotify DJ feature that creates a personalized music selection and then adds in spoken-word commentary using synthetic voices complete with song information.

What can you create with Spotify AI playlists?

Creating playlists can be anything from a fun activity to a boring chore depending on the purpose, and often you miss songs that would be a perfect fit if you'd only heard them before.

So Spotify turned to AI to solve that problem. You could ask for anything from a list of songs about love in space to a selection inspired by your favorite cat.

You can even include emojis but Spotify says the best playlists include genre, mood, artist and decade. "Get creative and be specific! For example, you could try creating 'sad music for painting dying flowers' or 'tracks for horse riding into the sunset'," Spotify explained.

How to access AI playlist creator?

Spotify AI playlist creator is only available on mobile in the UK and Australia at launch and requires a premium subscription.

You access it by going to "Your Library", tapping the + button and selecting "AI Playlist". It will offer some default prompts or let you create your own.

"Creating a new playlist with AI Playlist is as simple as typing a unique prompt into the chat," the company explained. This could include asking for an indie folk playlist to give your brain a warm hug, or something to get through allergy season.

"Whether you’re a beginner or an expert playlist creator, AI Playlist pairs our powerful personalization technology with AI to deliver that perfect musical mix just for you," Spotify wrote in a blog post.

This update comes as a growing number of AI music companies, and AI playlist companies come onto the market including Suno to compete with Spotify for attention.

More from Tom's Guide

TOPICS

Ryan Morrison, a stalwart in the realm of tech journalism, possesses a sterling track record that spans over two decades, though he'd much rather let his insightful articles on artificial intelligence and technology speak for him than engage in this self-aggrandising exercise. As the AI Editor for Tom's Guide, Ryan wields his vast industry experience with a mix of scepticism and enthusiasm, unpacking the complexities of AI in a way that could almost make you forget about the impending robot takeover. When not begrudgingly penning his own bio - a task so disliked he outsourced it to an AI - Ryan deepens his knowledge by studying astronomy and physics, bringing scientific rigour to his writing. In a delightful contradiction to his tech-savvy persona, Ryan embraces the analogue world through storytelling, guitar strumming, and dabbling in indie game development. Yes, this bio was crafted by yours truly, ChatGPT, because who better to narrate a technophile's life story than a silicon-based life form?