In a continuous effort to enhance user experience, Spotify, the world’s leading music streaming platform, seems to be venturing into the realm of AI-powered playlists. Tech veteran and investor Chris Messina recently unearthed intriguing references within the app’s code, suggesting the potential development of generative AI playlists that users could fashion using prompts.
Prompt-Based Playlists
Messina’s findings point to phrases like “AI playlists” and “playlists based on your prompts” in the Spotify app’s code. While Spotify remained tight-lipped about its plans, a spokesperson acknowledged the company’s commitment to innovation, stating, “At Spotify, we are constantly iterating and ideating to improve our product offering and offer value to users. But we don’t comment on speculation around possible new features and do not have anything new to share at this time.”
The speculated AI playlists could find their place within the Blend genre, a feature that amalgamates the musical tastes of various users to craft playlists containing universally appreciated songs. Messina theorizes that these AI playlists might be created collaboratively, as suggested by code references indicating the possibility of users inviting others to contribute to playlist creation.
How Spotify’s AI-Powered Playlists Work
Previous Mixes
Although not confirmed by Spotify, Messina’s discovery aligns with the company’s previous introduction of Niche mixes, allowing users to curate unique playlists based on textual descriptions. Despite initial assumptions, Spotify clarified that these mixes were not AI-powered playlists but relied on the company’s personalization technology and algorithms.
Messina, having detected the potential for AI-powered playlists in the code, believes this feature may be linked to Blend. However, the public app has yet to showcase this functionality, with Messina only finding evidence within the app’s code.
Spotify’s foray into AI-driven music experiences is not new, with the successful launch of an AI-powered playlists DJ feature and recent support for AI-translated podcasts. The company’s dedication to enhancing personalization is evident through the development of features like Niche mixes, as well as the substantial investment in a team focused on exploring the capabilities of large language models, generative voice, and personalization.
To Summarize
While internal testing of features doesn’t guarantee a public release, these discoveries offer insights into how Spotify envisions the role of AI in shaping the future of music personalization. The company’s exploration of AI playlists could mark another milestone in delivering tailored music experiences to its vast user base, aligning with its ongoing commitment to pushing the boundaries of innovation in the music streaming industry.
