Spotify is testing an AI-powered function that creates playlists from textual content prompts. TikTok consumer @robdad_ posted a brief clip of it, captioned, “I simply randomly found Spotify’s ChatGPT?” For the chosen guinea pigs, the function is obtainable as an choice below Your Library after tapping the plus signal to create a brand new playlist. The information was reported by TechCrunch, which says it obtained affirmation from Spotify that it’s testing AI playlists. It isn’t but clear if the music streamer plans to launch it publicly.
“Flip your concepts into playlists utilizing Al,” the function’s in-app description reads within the TikTok video (whereas noting it’s solely obtainable in English). Above a chatbot subject for customized inputs, it additionally suggests prompts. These embody, “Get targeted at work with instrumental electronica,” “Fill the silence with background cafe music,” “Get pumped up with enjoyable, beat, and constructive songs” and “Discover a distinct segment style like Witch Home.”
@robdad_ selected the final choice. “Right here’s your Witch Home Exploration playlist,” the bot responded. “Swipe left to take away any songs you don’t need as you proceed refining your playlist.” As a consequence of video modifying, it’s not possible to inform from the TikTok clip how lengthy Spotify’s AI took to generate the tracks.
The ensuing (Grimes-heavy) playlist included “Bloom for Me” by Pearly Drops, “Goth” by Sidewalks and Skeletons, “Pin” by Grimes, “After Darkish” by Mr.Kitty, “Suffocation” by Crystal Castles, “Chilly Contact” by Kito and GrimesAI and “chain” by Aziya and “Nothing Lasts Ceaselessly” by Sevdaliza and Grimes. I’ll depart it to the Witch Home consultants to find out if the AI did a superb job.
In an announcement to TechCrunch, Spotify was tight-lipped about whether or not most people can count on to see AI playlists. “We routinely conduct plenty of exams,” a Spotify spokesperson wrote. “A few of these exams find yourself paving the trail for our broader expertise and others serve solely as an essential studying. We don’t have something additional to share at the moment.”
If Spotify finally launches the function, maybe it might embody it as a carrot to entice customers to pay for a costlier subscription tier. The corporate’s premium hi-fi function, introduced almost three years in the past, nonetheless hasn’t materialized after rival Apple Music added lossless audio with out charging further. Expanded audiobook entry may very well be one other perk to throw right into a pricier plan.
Earlier this 12 months, Spotify launched an AI DJ function (powered by OpenAI tech) that talks you thru suggestions. It does so utilizing an AI voice educated on the corporate’s Head of Cultural Partnerships, Xavier “X” Jernigan.
Like a lot of the tech trade, the music streamer seems keen to include synthetic intelligence into its merchandise. Along with the AI DJ, Spotify CEO and co-founder Daniel Ek mentioned in a July earnings name that the corporate might use AI to “contextualize and personalize content material.” The Ringer founder Invoice Simmons famous in Might (first reported by Semafor) that Spotify was creating “a approach to make use of my voice for adverts.” The sports activities evaluation podcaster added, “It’s important to clearly give the approval for the voice, but it surely opens up, from an promoting standpoint, all these totally different nice potentialities for you.”
Earlier this month, Spotify performed its third spherical of layoffs in 2023. It’s solely the newest chapter of what’s turned out to be a devastating 12 months of job cuts within the tech trade.
