As the music and entertainment industry continues to figure out where it stands on AI, Spotify is trying to make everyone happy.
On Thursday, the company announced new AI initiatives aimed at putting generative tools in the hands of its users. It follows the company taking a mixed stance on AI on its platform, rallying against AI-generated slop and verifying real creators while also using the tech in features such as playlist generation and recommendations.
Here’s what’s coming down the pipe for the streaming platform:
Personal Podcasts: This new experience lets usersgenerate short audio episodessuch as daily briefs or deep dives on topics they choose. Spotify creates a tailored audio summary "while linking you to relevant episodes, shows, and creators where you can explore more."Studio by Spotify Labs: This standalone desktop app takes information from users' web browsers and personal apps to create audio “shaped around your life,” similar to Google’s NotebookLM. Spotify sees this as a way to open up "new possibilities for experimental and creative formats."UMG partnership: Spotify ispartnering with Universal Music Group, one of the biggest labels in the industry, on a new feature that lets users create “responsible” AI-generated covers and remixes of songs. Spotify co-CEO Alex Norström said the product is “grounded in consent, credit, and compensation for the artist.”
Spotify walks a fine line with its AI approach. Like all software companies, it is under pressure to appear innovative and AI-first to placate investor appetite for the technology. The company has repeatedly promised to undertake AI in responsible ways that center on creator credit and compensation, releasing spam filters to identify AI slop and clarifying rules around unauthorized AI voice cloning late last year.
But given that Spotify’s core business sits squarely in a creative industry, it’s already prone to backlash for engaging with technology that potentially threatens the livelihood of musicians, podcasters and creators. The company has already been the subject of scrutiny as it relates to AI, with a number of artists abandoning the platform over CEO Daniel Ek’s support of German AI defense firm, Helsing.
Our Deeper View #
Spotify is being pulled in two opposing directions as it seeks to appease both stakeholders and artists. But it’s just one example of an entertainment industry institution walking the tightrope. Major music labels like Universal Music Group and Warner Music Group have similarly sought to make inroads into AI, partnering with audio AI companies such as Suno and Udio. But creators are nothing if not rebels, and in the face of such industry-altering technology, many have already started to push back, with musicians creating protest albums and podcasters joining class-action lawsuits against major AI companies for allegedly “stealing” their voices to train models. What these platforms and labels need to remember is that there is no entertainment business *without *the entertainers. Without them, companies would have nothing to sell, and AI models would have nothing to feed on.