Spotify isn’t the only one to dabble with AI playlists — on Tuesday, Amazon announced it would do the same.
Amazon Music is now testing Maestro, an AI playlist generator, allowing U.S. customers on both iOS and Android to create playlists using spoken or written prompts, which can even contain emojis.
Amazon suggests that in addition to emojis, customers can write prompts that include activities, sounds, or emotions.
While Spotify’s AI generator is starting its tests in the U.K. and Australia, Amazon’s product is launching to a “subset” of free Amazon Music users, as well as Prime customers and Unlimited Amazon Music subscribers on iOS and Android in the U.S. for the time being.
To access Maestro, users will need the latest version of the Amazon Music mobile app and will tap on the option for Maestro on their home screen.
Spotify is building on its AI DJ feature, adding a new AI-powered playlist feature.
Spotify’s AI work nests into its other efforts to differentiate its service from rivals like Apple Music and offerings from Amazon.
Starting in just a few countries, the new AI playlist feature will roll out to more markets over time.
Some Spotify users have complained that the rollout of new products can take longer than they want to reach their home market, it’s worth noting.
But for those of us who aren’t mega-ChatGPT users, AI can seem ever so slightly remote from our regular existence.
Spotify already found success with its popular AI DJ feature, and now the streaming music service is bringing AI to playlist creation.
The company on Monday introduced AI playlists into beta, a new option that allows users to generate a playlist based on written prompts.
In terms of the technology, Spotify says it’s using large language models (LLMs) to understand the user’s intent.
A pop-up menu appears showing the AI Playlist as a new option alongside the existing “Playlist” and “Blend” options.
Ahead of AI playlists, Spotify launched a similar feature, Niche Mixes, that allowed users to create personalized playlists using prompts, but the product did not leverage AI technology and was more limited in terms of its language understanding.
Apple announced today that Apple Music subscribers now have access to collaborative playlists with the launch of iOS 17.3.
When users are in a car and streaming music through Apple Music, other trusted iPhone devices will get an invite to join the session.
Listeners can then control the music from their own devices, even if they don’t have an Apple Music subscription.
The launch of iOS 17.3 also brings Apple’s new Stolen Device Protection feature, which helps prevent thieves from accessing your information.
To turn on Stolen Device Protection, you need to go into your settings then tap “Face ID & Passcode.” You then need to enter your device passcode tap to turn Stolen Device Protection on.
Apple confirmed today that iOS 17.3 will be released to the public next week, giving iPhone users new features like Stolen Device Protection and collaborative Apple Music playlists.
There will also be a new Unity Bloom wallpaper for the iPhone and iPad, available next week when iOS 17.3 comes out.
Additionally, there will be a security delay if you change sensitive settings, including creating a new Apple ID password, turning off Find My and updating select Apple ID security settings like removing a trusted device or phone number.
Apple previously noted in its iOS 17 features list that it was delayed to 2024, and later on, it reportedly appeared in the iOS 17.3 beta.
Spotify, one of Apple Music’s largest competitors, launched a real-time collaborative playlist feature, “Jam,” in September.
Earlier this fall, Spotify was found to be developing a new feature that would allow its streaming app users to create playlists using AI technology and prompts.
Now, that “AI playlists” feature has been spotted in the wild, as part of a test that to see how users will respond to AI-driven playlist creation.
Here, a pop-up menu appears and the AI playlist feature is a new option underneath the existing “Playlist” and “Blend” options.
The feature’s description reads “Turn your ideas into playlists using AI” and notes that it’s currently only available in English.
It remains to be seen if and when the new AI feature goes live to the public.
