Spotify rolls out AI-powered Prompted Playlists to the U.K. and other markets
TL;DR
Spotify expands its AI-powered Prompted Playlists feature to Premium subscribers in the U.K., Ireland, Australia, and Sweden. Users can create custom playlists by describing moods, scenarios, or themes in English prompts, with AI generating tailored playlists based on listening history and trends.
Key Takeaways
- •Spotify's Prompted Playlists feature uses AI to create custom playlists from user descriptions of moods, activities, or inspirations.
- •The feature is now available in the U.K., Ireland, Australia, and Sweden, following earlier launches in the U.S., Canada, and New Zealand.
- •Playlists can be refined or scheduled to refresh automatically, though beta usage limits may apply after 20-30 prompts.
- •Spotify is expanding AI integration across its platform, including audiobook features, lyrics translations, and internal workflows.
- •The company is also venturing into physical book sales, allowing U.S. and U.K. users to buy books directly through the app.
After initially testing its AI-powered “Prompted Playlists” feature in New Zealand and recently launching in the U.S. and Canada, Spotify announced on Monday that it’s rolling out the tool to Premium subscribers in the U.K., Ireland, Australia, and Sweden.
Prompted Playlists allows users to create custom playlists by simply describing what they want to listen to in their own words. Instead of searching for individual songs or artists, users can describe the vibe, scenario, or inspiration they want, and Spotify will take care of the rest.
To access the feature, users tap “Create” and then select “Prompted Playlist,” then enter any prompt in English. The feature is designed to interpret themes including moods, aesthetics, and even memories. Prompts can be as broad or specific as the user wants, referencing musical eras, genres, activities, lyrics, instruments, or even requesting a playlist inspired by a TV show, movie, or personal milestone. Users can also specify whether they want the playlist to include mostly new music or just music from their library in the prompt.
Once a prompt is submitted, Spotify’s AI generates a customized playlist tailored to the request. The system draws on the user’s listening history and incorporates current music and cultural trends. Plus, each song comes with a short explanation that offers insight into why it was chosen for that particular playlist.
Users can refine their playlists by adjusting their prompts or starting over. For those whose musical tastes constantly evolve, playlists can be scheduled to automatically refresh on a daily or weekly basis.
Since this is still in beta, Spotify noted that there might be changes as the company gets feedback, and that there are currently usage limits in place. Some users have reported hitting limits after roughly 20 or 30 prompts.
Spotify has recently expanded AI features throughout its platform, including Page Match, which lets users scan a physical book page to jump to the corresponding spot in the audiobook, and About This Song. The platform also updated its song lyrics feature to provide global translations and offline access. Last week, SeatGeek partnered with Spotify to help listeners easily find ticket links for concerts on an artist’s page or upcoming tour dates within the app.
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Internally, the company has implemented AI throughout its workflows, with co-CEO Gustav Söderström saying earlier this month that Spotify’s best developers haven’t written a line of code since December, thanks to AI.
Spotify is also expanding its audiobook business by venturing into physical book sales. Soon, users in the U.S. and U.K. will be able to buy physical copies directly from the app.