Spotify expands Prompted Playlists to include podcast episodes

In short: Spotify has updated its Prompted Playlists feature so Premium users can generate playlists made of podcast episodes using a written prompt.

What happened

Spotify said it is expanding Prompted Playlists, its AI-powered playlist tool, to include podcasts. The feature was launched in beta in December, but it previously only worked for music.

With the update, users can type a request in normal language, like asking for “science stories that are funny” or “Dungeons and Dragons actual play shows.” Spotify’s system then builds a playlist of podcast episodes that match the theme. This is similar to giving instructions to a librarian, and having them pick items for you based on what you asked for.

Spotify is keeping the podcast version in beta for now. It is only available in English, and only for Premium users in the US, Canada, the UK, Ireland, Australia, New Zealand, and Sweden.

One limitation is that the playlists can include random episodes from a show. That can be a problem for podcasts that are meant to be heard in order, like a story with chapters. Spotify says you can edit your prompt after the playlist is created to adjust the results.

Why it matters

Finding a new podcast can take time, especially if you do not know what to search for. This feature is meant to make discovery easier by letting people describe what they want in plain words, instead of digging through categories and recommendations.

Source: The Verge AI