Spotify has launched a new feature called AI playlist, which is now available in the US and Canada. This feature is available in beta and allows premium users to create tailor-made playlists with short text prompts.
It is supposed to generate further refinements in its selection of music according to user preferences.
This AI Playlist by Spotify, which launched its initial stage in the United Kingdom and Australia in April is giving tough competition to rivals such as Apple Music and Amazon Music.
The AI Playlist, although promising, has its weaknesses. Spotify has acknowledged that results won't come for purely non-music-related queries, such as news topics or specific brands. The company further clarified that this is because these topics are still being refined in its beta phase.
Spotify has also launched several innovative tools, such as the 'day list', which updates daily with a personalized choice of music recommendations. Another new feature is the 'AI DJ,' which selects songs based on what a user mostly listens to.
The expansion is timely given that paid subscribers to Spotify have skyrocketed. The company cited a 12% year-over-year growth that now stands at 246 million subscribers by the end of the second quarter. AI-empowered features are part of the strategy that Spotify envisions in maintaining the lead in the competitive music streaming market.
With this rush of innovation, more interactivity, and personalization of music on Spotify. However, with AI comes concerns for ethics and morality as well as the security of user data. Since lately many incidents have been reported of AI being misused for scams in the music industry.
Thus, it remains to be seen whether these innovations will be a friend or a foe for the users of the platform.