Spotify users can now simply talk to the app to get the music they want. The company announced a new update on Tuesday that lets people text or speak directly with Spotify. This arrives as chatbots and AI assistants keep creeping into everyday technology. Eligible iPhone users are soon getting an AI-powered Siri, while ChatGPT already answers questions even while someone is driving. It has become almost impossible to use modern technology without being nudged to interact with AI in some form. Talking to Spotify fits right into that pattern, and while the idea sounds a little odd at first, it could genuinely help users who want deeper insight into their own listening habits.
How the chat feature actually works
The point of this update isn't to turn Spotify into a chatty companion. Instead, Spotify wants users to simply tell the app what they feel like hearing. For example, someone could type or say, "Play some artists I haven't heard before," or "play a mix of hits from my top artist." Requests can also be stacked on top of each other. If a user says, "Add some Bad Bunny," they can immediately follow up with something like "just the newest hits" or "make it more chill," and Spotify adjusts accordingly.
Getting more from the Now Playing screen
Users can also ask Spotify for more detail about whatever is currently playing, right from the Now Playing window. That includes general knowledge questions like "When did this album come out?" or "What genre is this song?" as well as more specific ones. Spotify itself suggests an example like "What is the inspiration behind Dua Lipa's Radical Optimism?" The same works for podcasts and audiobooks, where users can ask things like "What other books has [the author] written?" or "Show me some other podcasts this person has appeared on."
The personalization angle is the real hook
Most of these questions could technically be answered with a quick Google search, but the most interesting part of the feature may be how personal it can get. Spotify says users can ask questions directly about their own listening history, such as "When did I first listen to this song?" or "What types of music have I been listening to lately?" Given how much attention Spotify Wrapped gets every year, plenty of users are clearly curious about their own listening stats, and this could offer an intriguing way to get that kind of insight before the year wraps up.
Not Spotify's first AI feature
This is far from the first time Spotify has leaned on AI. The app previously introduced a tool that surfaces extra information about the music playing without requiring users to prompt it first. Spotify also already lets users generate playlists using AI, a capability that other music apps offer as well, including Apple Music, which has now added it too.
Who can try it, and where
The feature is rolling out now, but it won't be available to every Spotify user right away. The company says only "eligible Premium users" will be able to chat with Spotify directly, and only within the Home and Now Playing views on the mobile app. At launch, that means users in the U.S., Ireland, and Sweden. Spotify also notes that the feature is currently in beta, so even users whose accounts get access soon might see mixed or inconsistent results at the start.
