I want Apple Music to let me create AI playlists, just like Spotify does (2024)

Spotify announced a new way to create personalized playlists that involve the use of generative AI software like ChatGPT. Just tell the app what kind of music you want to listen to, and the AI Playlist feature will generate a playlist for you.

As expected, the feature is currently available only to Spotify Premium subscribers. It’s also a limited beta test that covers two markets: the UK and Australia. Once Spotify is happy with these initial tests, I expect the company to expand it to other regions.

As an Apple Music subscriber who has been using ChatGPT and other AI programs for a while now, I definitely want a feature like this. I also expect Apple to offer such features to Apple Music users in the not-too-distant future.

It’s not because Spotify did it already, but because Apple is about to showcase its big push into generative AI beginning with iOS 18 at WWDC 2024. Adding AI to Apple Music is one of the simplest ideas someone on Apple’s software teams could have thrown around already.

I told you recently how I used ChatGPT to create a marathon music playlist based on Taylor Swift’s Shake It Off “sick beat.” That was the main factor for me, as that particular song has me picking up the pace every time it comes on.

I then explained the somewhat tedious process of turning the list of songs into a playlist I could import into Apple Music. It wasn’t impossible, but it was a hassle. Here’s how I concluded that post a few days ago:

Imagine if the iPhone’s iOS 18 could use the built-in AI to generate such playlists on the spot. I could have done it on the spot when I had this idea while running.

According to Spotify’sannouncement, I could try generating a playlist like this with the new AI Playlist functionality. Spotify offers the following examples:

Looking for “an indie folk playlist to give my brain a big warm hug,” “relaxing music to tide me over during allergy season,” or “a playlist that makes me feel like the main character”? AI Playlist has you covered.

I could easily add the same prompt I used with ChatGPT and see what results I get. Spotify says the AI Playlist feature supports lots of things, including “places, animals, activities, movie characters, colors, even emojis.”

Moreover, the “most successful” playlists contain combinations of genres, moods, artists, and decades. That sounds like a win in my book.

Again, it also sounds like something Apple Music could offer subscribers in the near future, as long as they’re running software that supports genAI features. iOS 18, of course, would be that kind of software for the iPhone.

How to use AI Playlist in Spotify

Spotify explained the process of creating an AI Playlist on Android and iPhone. To get you started, AI Playlist will offer you prompt suggestions. If you’re already used to apps like ChatGPT, you shouldn’t need those because you’ll know exactly how to phrase your request.

Here are Spotify’s instructions:

• From Your Library, tap the “+” button at the top-right corner of the app and select “AI Playlist.”
• Select one of the suggested prompts or type your own. Get creative and be specific! For example, you could try creating “sad music for painting dying flowers” or “tracks for horse riding into the sunset.”
• Wait as we do our magic. Spotify will offer some tracks that match the vibe you’re going for.
• From there, you can easily manage the selection of songs by previewing and deleting tracks. Have notes? You can revise and refine the playlists you generate by telling AI Playlist what you’re looking for (i.e., “more pop” or “less upbeat”).
• Tap “Create,” and your new playlist will be saved automatically in Your Library.

Also, Spotify warns that the process might take a while. GenAI features require cloud processing, so that’s understandable. That’s probably also the reason why you’d need to be a paying subscriber to get the AI Playlist feature. You’d have to pay for those costs.

Once your AI Playlist is created, you’ll be able to tweak it however you want to get it just right.