What is Spotify's AI DJ really Doing?
Will Generative A.I. change the human-AI interface of apps and platforms?
There’s a generative A.I. flood of new integrations and I’m all for this.
I’m very impressed with Snap, Roblox, Doximity, Spotify and Salesforces’ spin on Generative A.I. boosting their products. I’m sure there are many other instances of these integrations that I’m missing.
I find that A.I. personal assistants can increase digital experiences given how they operate, one idea is to use them to boost recommendations. Recommendation systems within platforms play such a key role in the user experience, what if Generative A.I. was powering them and making them even better?
As text-to-voice technology gets better and A.I. voices feel and speak in a more human way, eventually we won’t be able to tell the difference. This has various implications of the interfaces of the apps we already use.
Is an A.I. D.J a good idea?
In the case of Snap and Spotify this is also to help you covert from a free user into a paid users, and this makes total sense.
What you need to know
Spotify introduces its new AI DJ for Premium subscribers.
The DJ is powered by OpenAI technology and Spotify's musical experts to offer listeners a constant stream of personalized music and commentary.
The new feature has started rolling out today for Android and iOS users in the U.S. and Canada.
It’s a bit like Spotify trying to automate some of the joys we used to experience with Radio, that some of us still do. But is the A.I. ready for such a pivotal role?
A.I. in my Spotify
As Apple and Spotify battle it out, the voices are becoming more and more human like, whether it’s a narrator in an audio book or this product.
TechCrunch notes:
Spotify this week launched a new AI feature called “DJ” to better personalize the music-listening experience for its users. Similar to a radio DJ, Spotify’s DJ feature will deliver a curated selection of music alongside AI-powered spoken commentary about the tracks and artists you like, using what Spotify says is a “stunningly realistic voice.” Neat!
I could not yet independently verify if this is actually a better music-listening experience for its users? But I like the idea.
An A.I. that Truly Knows You
In a blog post announcing the new AI DJ feature, Spotify explains that this DJ “knows you and your music taste” well enough that it will “reimagine the way users listen on Spotify.” The DJ feature takes into account OpenAI technology combined with a “dynamic AI voice” as well as Spotify’s personalization technology.
Spotify, of course, already has numerous personalized-listening features built into the service, including with its Daily Mix and Discovery Weekly auto-generated playlists.
A Personalized Radio Station
The AI DJ functionality is basically designed to create a never-ending radio station-style stream of music, based on your listening history and habits. The AI DJ voice will transition the songs, similar to what you’d hear on a traditional radio station with an explanation for why it picked the song, when you last listened to it, and more.
The company outlines these components:
Spotify’s personalization technology, which gives you a lineup of music recommendations based on what we know you like.
Generative AI through the use of OpenAI technology. We put this in the hands of our music editors to provide you with insightful facts about the music, artists, or genres you’re listening to. The expertise of our editors is something that’s really important to our philosophy at Spotify.
Among my favorite recommendation engines have to be YouTube and TikTok, but Spotify is actually not so far behind.
How will generative A.I. impact how we experience recommendations in platforms and in the reader, audience or listening experience?
Seeing LLMs transform our existing digital products and experiences is refreshing or a gimmick, depending on how you look at it.
How-to Access the A.I. DJ Today
Spotify says that AI DJ is available today in beta, and you can find it by following these steps:
Head to your Music Feed on Home in the Spotify mobile app on your iOS or Android device.
Tap Play on the DJ card.
Let Spotify do the rest. The DJ will serve a lineup of music alongside short commentary on the songs and artists, picked just for you.
Not feeling the vibe? Just hit the DJ button at the bottom right of the screen to be taken to a different genre, artist, or mood.
The beauty of these experiences is our ability to deliver the right piece of music for that exact moment in time, and maybe even connect you with your next favorite artist in the process. We’re building on that innovation by harnessing the power of AI in an entirely new way. - Spotify announcement.