Spotify is rolling out its AI feature, “DJ,” to premium customers in the U.K. and Ireland, aiming to enhance music discovery through curated playlists accompanied by AI-generated commentary. Similar to listening to a radio DJ, the AI DJ feature uses OpenAI’s technology and is currently in beta, which means there may be occasional glitches.
After launching the feature in February for premium subscribers in the U.S. and Canada, Spotify observed that 87% of DJ users were from Gen Z. Furthermore, users who engaged with the AI DJ on a given day spent around 25% of their listening time with the feature.
The voice of the DJ is modeled after Spotify’s head of cultural partnerships, Xavier “X” Jernigan. For instance, users tuning into the feature may hear about Arlo Parks’ upcoming album, “My Soft Machine,” set to release by the end of the month. Spotify envisions the AI DJ as a potential revenue stream to promote new releases on the platform.
During Spotify’s Stream On event where the feature was announced, the company revealed that the AI DJ leverages its 2022 Sonatic acquisition and combines it with OpenAI technology.
While the DJ automatically plays tracks, users have the option to tap on the AI DJ button to switch between moods or genres. As with any AI-driven technology, the feature learns and adapts to user preferences over time, enhancing the personalized music experience.
