Spotify launches conversational AI playlists in US and Canada

Spotify is rolling out its new Prompted Playlists feature to Premium subscribers—who are paying users of the service—in the U.S. and Canada. This conversational tool allows users to explain in more detail and in a conversational mode what they want to hear, rather than relying on traditional search terms or specific keywords. The feature was originally tested in New Zealand before being expanded to the U.S. and Canada. The launch represents an expansion of Spotify’s music curation capabilities, allowing users to interact with the platform using natural language.

The new tool builds on an earlier AI playlist product that Spotify launched in 2024. However, the older AI playlist feature will not be shut down. Instead, the two products will live side-by-side, which the company notes could lead to consumer confusion given their similarities. Because the new Prompted Playlists feature is still in beta, it currently has usage limits and is only available in the English language for the time being.

J.J. Italiano, the Head of Global Music Curation and Discovery at Spotify, explained that the tool is designed to make playlist creation accessible without requiring specialized industry terminology. Italiano noted that for most people, building playlists is not part of their job, and they do not always have the time or energy to build a perfect playlist every time their mood changes. “This gives listeners access to that creative process without needing to know genres, or years, or industry language. You don’t need the right words. You just need your words,” Italiano said. He added that if a user can describe a feeling, they can make a playlist.

The conversational AI can handle long, detailed prompts. In a demonstration, the tool processed a prompt asking to find one artist the user had not listened to yet, or an artist they had only heard one or two songs from, and build a playlist to introduce them. The system can also prioritize recommendations, placing the songs the user is most likely to enjoy in the top five spots of the generated playlist.

Why it matters

Spotify is evolving its AI strategy from simple keyword-based playlist generation to conversational, intent-driven curation. By allowing users to build playlists using natural language, the company aims to lower the barrier for music discovery without requiring technical or industry knowledge.