(Credit: Spotify)
Spotify is expanding its AI-generated playlists further than ever before with a new tool called Prompted Playlist. The new option is rolling out in beta to users in the US and Canada, and Spotify aims to have it ready for all users in both markets by the end of January.
You may be asking, didn’t Spotify already introduce AI playlist tools? You’d be right; they were first revealed in 2024. Spotify says Prompted Playlists are "a new way to put meaningful control of the algorithm directly in your hands, with your ideas, your logic, and your creativity."
You set up one of these playlists by entering a written prompt, which Spotify says should be as specific as possible for best results. Spotify uses your listening history and real-time cultural music moments to inform how it picks songs. It can see what you've liked in the past and also knows which songs are featured in the charts or being used regularly on TikTok.
Spotify gives an example of building a playlist of songs recently used in hit “competition and reality shows," but only picks tracks that fit the listener's tastes. The AI will then search for tracks that fit both categories and put together the playlist.
Other examples include tapping into your Spotify history. For example, a prompt asks the AI to look at “my favorite songs over the years” that have then been sampled in other tracks. Or you could build a playlist of songs you've liked on Spotify but haven't actually listened to.
Spotify will include a text box explaining why the AI chose a particular track. It can also automatically update every playlist daily or weekly, depending on the rules set.
For example, you could ask Spotify to generate a playlist of your specific music taste that aligns with the modern charts, giving you a weekly update of what’s trending around the world, but only in the genres you enjoy listening to.
Spotify first introduced this tool in New Zealand in December. It's not clear when the beta for the feature will end, but you should see it appear for you in the next week or so if you live in the US or Canada and subscribe to Premium. To find it, head to Create on Spotify, and you’ll see an option called Prompted Playlist with a small beta logo next to it.
You’ll be able to use this feature before a price hike goes into effect in February, when Premium plans are going from $11.99 to $12.99 per month. It’ll also see a $2 price increase for Duo and Family subscriptions, bringing them to $18.99 and $21.99 per month, respectively.