Spotify is expanding its use of artificial intelligence in the listening experience by introducing an interactive, ChatGPT-like assistant for Premium subscribers. Announced on Tuesday, the feature lets users converse with the app to choose music and other audio content.
Availability and scope
The feature is rolling out in beta on iOS and Android in the United States, Ireland and Sweden. It is available in English to users aged 18 and older. Spotify notes that as a beta release the experience may not be flawless and that user feedback will inform future improvements.
Underlying technology
Spotify did not provide a full technical breakdown in its announcement, but confirmed to TechCrunch that the assistant relies on a mix of the company’s own AI technology and models from multiple external providers, selecting the best option depending on the task.
What the assistant can do
The new conversational capability extends beyond the existing AI DJ feature. Users can type or speak to the assistant from the app’s Home and Now Playing screens and hold back-and-forth conversations to refine what should play next. In addition to fulfilling playback requests, the assistant can discuss a user’s listening history and help explore music, podcasts or audiobooks in greater depth.
Examples of supported interactions include asking what inspired a particular song, when an album was released, or requesting recommendations for other artists based on current listening. Users can also query their own listening patterns, such as when they first played a certain track or which genres they’ve streamed recently.
Control and playlist management
Spotify offered several usage suggestions in its announcement: for instance, a user could ask the assistant to “play some artists I haven’t heard before,” then refine the selection by adding a specific artist by name or restricting results to more recent tracks. Users can further shape requests with prompts like “more upbeat.”
The assistant can perform basic account actions as well, including saving songs, adding tracks to the play queue, and following artists.
Rollout and context
The feature is currently being deployed to the targeted markets on mobile devices. It joins other Spotify AI initiatives such as the AI DJ, playlist creation via prompts, and integrations that connect Spotify with third-party chatbots like ChatGPT. Spotify says continued user feedback will guide the feature’s evolution.
