Spotify continues to evolve its music streaming platform with significant upgrades to its AI-powered features. The latest update to the AI DJ functionality marks a major shift in how users can interact with the service, potentially transforming the music discovery experience for Premium subscribers across more than 60 countries.
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| Exploring Spotify's AI DJ feature allows users to interact with it and discover music tailored to their preferences |
AI DJ Gets Its First Major Upgrade Since 2023
Spotify's AI DJ, which was introduced in 2023 and has been a somewhat polarizing feature among users, has received its first substantial update. The AI DJ now supports voice interaction, allowing Premium subscribers to make specific music requests through direct conversation. This marks a significant evolution from its original implementation, where the DJ would autonomously curate music based on listening history without real-time user input.
How The New Voice Request Feature Works
The enhanced functionality enables users to press and hold the DJ icon on their mobile device to activate voice control. Once activated, subscribers can make detailed requests that combine various elements such as genre, mood, artist, or activity-based music selections. For example, users can ask for some electronic beats for a midday run or request the DJ to surprise me with some indie tracks I've never heard before. This hands-on approach gives listeners more control over their discovery experience while still benefiting from the AI's personalization capabilities.
Additional Platform Improvements Beyond AI DJ
Alongside the AI DJ upgrade, Spotify has implemented several other user-requested features. A new 30-Day Snooze button allows Premium users to temporarily freeze songs from appearing in recommendations without completely removing them from their library. The platform has also added a dedicated toggle to disable Smart Shuffle permanently—a feature that automatically adds recommended songs to playlist queues but has frustrated some users with its repetitive suggestions.
Audiobook Experience Gets Better
For audiobook enthusiasts, Spotify is improving the purchasing experience following recent changes to App Store policies resulting from the Epic Games vs. Apple legal battle. US users will soon be able to purchase audiobooks directly through links within the Spotify app and Top Up their listening hours without leaving the platform. This change could potentially lead to cost savings for consumers as Spotify would avoid Apple's commission fees on in-app purchases.
Rollout Timeline and Availability
The voice request feature for AI DJ is rolling out starting today (May 16) to English-speaking Premium subscribers in over 60 countries. However, Spotify cautions that the feature remains in beta, meaning it may occasionally misinterpret requests or even suggest podcasts instead of music. The company continues to refine the technology based on user feedback and interaction patterns.
The Future of Music Streaming Personalization
These updates reflect Spotify's ongoing commitment to personalization and interactive music discovery. By combining artificial intelligence with more direct user control, the platform aims to strike a balance between algorithmic curation and listener agency. As streaming services continue to compete for subscriber loyalty, these types of features that enhance the user experience may become increasingly important differentiators in the market.