Spotify officially expanded its AI-driven 'Prompted Playlists' feature to include podcasts on Tuesday, aiming to help Premium subscribers discover new shows more efficiently. The feature, which debuted last December, was previously limited to music content.
Users can now input text prompts to guide the AI algorithm in curating podcast episodes based on specific topics or themes. The feature is currently in beta and is only available to English-speaking users in select markets, including the U.S., U.K., Canada, and Australia.
Real-World Application and Limitations
According to testing by The Verge, the AI matches shows based on user requests and provides a brief AI-generated summary next to each episode, explaining why it aligns with the user's intent. For instance, when asked to search for 'Dungeons & Dragons' content, the AI successfully identified and recommended popular series like 'Dimension 20' and 'Critical Role,' alongside some lesser-known titles.
However, the feature has notable limitations. By default, the AI pulls random episodes, which can be problematic for narrative-driven podcasts that require sequential listening. Users can refine their results by adjusting their prompts—for example, by explicitly asking for 'only the first episode of each series'—to get a more relevant selection.
Spotify recommends that users ensure their app is updated to the latest version before trying the feature. To get started, users can tap the 'Create' button in the app, select 'Prompted Playlist,' and type their request into the text box. If the results aren't quite right, users can manually edit the list or ask the AI to generate a new one.
Beyond one-off lists, users can also set their playlists to refresh periodically, allowing for automated daily or weekly podcast recommendations. While the performance of this feature in the music space has been mixed, this 'sampler pack' approach offers a convenient new way for users to explore the vast world of podcasting.
