Spotify previews a desktop app that makes personal podcasts

In short: Spotify is releasing a desktop app called Studio by Spotify Labs that can create private, AI-generated podcasts based on your information.

What happened

Spotify has introduced a new standalone desktop app called Studio by Spotify Labs. It is designed to help people explore a topic by generating a short podcast about it.

Spotify says the app can add “personal context.” In simple terms, it can use information you already have, like your email and calendar, to shape the audio it creates. For example, it could make a daily briefing based on your schedule.

The app also includes an “agent,” which is a built-in helper that can browse the web for you (like a very fast assistant that looks things up). Spotify says users can make multi-step requests, such as asking for an audio brief for an Italy road trip that uses your bookings and calendar, suggests a dinner spot, and ends with a podcast recommendation.

Spotify says these AI-made podcasts are saved to your Spotify library, synced across devices, and not published publicly. The company is releasing Studio as a research preview in more than 20 markets, and it will be available only to select users who are 18 or older.

Spotify also warned that this is an early version and the AI can make mistakes and produce unreliable information.

Why it matters

More apps are trying to turn your daily information into quick audio summaries, so you can listen instead of reading. If this works well, it could make Spotify more useful beyond music and regular podcasts, but users will need to be careful about accuracy when the app pulls from emails, schedules, and the web.

Source: TechCrunch AI