Spotify has announced the enhancement of its AI-driven feature, known as Prompted Playlist, to include podcasts, offering a new way for users to discover content tailored to their interests.
Initially tested in New Zealand last year, the Prompted Playlist feature focused on generating music playlists. This year, Spotify has rolled it out to several regions, including the U.S., Canada, the U.K., Ireland, Australia, and Sweden.
With this beta feature, premium subscribers in these markets can now create AI-assisted playlists for podcasts in English. By simply tapping on "Create" and selecting the "Prompted Playlists" option, users can input prompts such as "Create a playlist of True Crime podcasts I would enjoy, highlighting highly rated series with unexpected twists."
Moreover, users can customize how often their playlists are refreshed, choosing from daily, weekly, or a static option. When a new episode is added to a playlist, it will include a brief note explaining its selection.
According to Lizzy Hale, Spotify's Global Head of Podcast Editorial, "Podcast fans are always searching for their next great listen. Prompted Playlist simplifies discovery, making it personal. For creators, it opens up significant opportunities for visibility, connecting audiences with both classic and new episodes."
Spotify also highlighted that over 34 million podcasts are discovered weekly on its platform, emphasizing the importance of this new feature in facilitating podcast exploration. Users might even encounter Prompted Playlists curated by Spotify's culture team on their home screen, which can be easily adjusted by modifying the prompt.
The company has been actively enhancing its platform to be more accommodating for podcast creators. Earlier this year, it adjusted monetization criteria for video podcasts, allowing creators to qualify with three published podcasts, 2,000 consumption hours in the last 30 days, and at least 1,000 engaged listeners within the same timeframe. As of February, over 530,000 video podcasts were available on Spotify.
This innovative approach by Spotify not only enriches user experience but also fosters a vibrant ecosystem for podcast creators, potentially shaping the future of audio content consumption.
