Spotify is looking for its next opportunity to lean into AI. The music streaming app is testing the ability to generate playlists with a user prompt, according to Gizmodo. Product designer Chris Messina spotted some code in Spotify’s backend that included the phrases “AI Playlist” and “Get playlists based on our prompts,” and shared screenshots on Threads.
“I actually find a ridiculous amount of new music in my Discover Weekly and Release Radar playlists — so I think this is something Spotify will excel at,” Messina said in the post.
Chat-GPT exploded in popularity earlier this year after entering the mainstream. In turn, companies have begun pouring resources into how they too can use the technology. Spotify potential further exploration into AI technology could take its recommendations features to the next level. The app already suggests premade playlists based on your music and podcast listening history as well as personalized playlists like On Repeat, Daily Drive and Daylist, one of the service’s newer features.
Messina thinks the feature could be an option in Spotify Blend, according to the report. Spotify’s blend feature builds a playlist for you and up to 10 friends based on each of your listening activity. Users can also create blends with some of their favorite artists like BTS, Kacey Musgraves and Megan Thee Stallion.
“At Spotify, we are constantly iterating and ideating to improve our product offering and offer value to users,” a Spotify spokesperson confirmed via email. “But we don’t comment on speculation around possible new features and do not have anything new to share at this time.”
In addition to Daylist, Spotify has released Niche Mixes that are based on moods, decades and genres which users can find in the Made for You hub. The music app also launched an AI DJ in February. The feature sorts through new music and old favorites to create a stream of personalized songs.
Spotify’s personalization features have been largely enjoyed by users, but as more companies incorporate AI into their services, industry experts have become concerned that these systems could have unintended dangerous consequences if the technology isn’t regulated. We’re already seeing instances of industries finding themselves in tricky situations with AI. Multiple artists have been denied copyright protections for images they created using AI. Last month, Amazon said authors can only self-publish three books on its site in a single day after an influx of suspected AI-generated material was listed for sale.