- Spotify has begun rolling out its new AI-driven Prompted Playlist feature to Premium users in the United States and Canada.
- The tool lets listeners generate tailored playlists with natural language prompts, but raises questions about real creative control and feature value.
What happened: A conversational twist on personalised curation — with caveats
Spotify has launched Prompted Playlist, an artificial intelligence-powered tool that allows Premium subscribers in the United States and Canada to craft personalised music playlists simply by describing what they want to hear — from moods and moments to specific scenarios.
Unlike the earlier AI Playlist feature, which offered more basic automated mixes, Prompted Playlist lets users set “rules” for the music and even schedule playlists to refresh daily or weekly, ensuring selections stay up to date. Spotify first tested this feature in New Zealand in late 2025 before expanding to North America.
Users can type prompts such as “feel-good songs for a rainy afternoon” or more nuanced ideas like music tied to a particular cultural moment. Spotify’s algorithm then weighs the request against the listener’s listening history and broader trends in music to build the list. Each song may include a short note explaining why it fits the playlist, and users can refine results or share prompts with friends who can apply them to their own tastes.
Also Read: Spotify expands AI Playlist feature to US and Canada
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Why it’s important
Spotify’s Prompted Playlist represents an evolution in how streaming services use generative AI to help listeners discover music. Rather than simply recommending popular tracks based on algorithms, this feature hands more conversational control to users, letting them “steer” the output with natural language.
However, that doesn’t mean the experience is without limits or criticism. The feature remains in beta, only in English, and is rolling out slowly, suggesting Spotify is still learning how users will interact with it. Moreover, while the allure of AI-generated suggestions is clear, some listeners and commentators have raised questions about randomness, usefulness, and whether such tools truly enhance discovery or simply mask the underlying algorithmic biases already present in streaming.
This launch also comes amid Spotify’s broader business moves, including recent subscription price increases, which may influence how premium users perceive added features like Prompted Playlist.
Ultimately, Prompted Playlist could signal a step toward more expressive user involvement in music curation — but whether it becomes an indispensable part of the listening experience remains to be seen.
