Spotify's AI bet: more of everything, less of what you want | TechCrunch

Spotify is adding AI features that generate content across music, podcasts, and audiobooks. The newest wave emphasizes AI-generated output rather than AI assistance for finding preferred content. Spotify has shifted toward standardized labeling for AI-generated tracks after prior criticism, adopting the DDEX system. A deal with Universal Music Group enables fans to create AI covers and remixes, with artist compensation but more AI music on the platform. Spotify is partnering with ElevenLabs to let authors narrate audiobooks using AI voices, which can still sound unnatural. Spotify also offers personal podcast generation from prompts, including calendar and email summaries, and tools for developers to create and save podcasts to users’ libraries.

"Spotify was a music app at one time. Then it added podcasts. Then audiobooks. Now the company is piling AI features into its app at a pace that can feel overwhelming. The latest wave, announced at its investor day, skews heavily toward using AI to generate content rather than using AI to help users find content they actually want."

"Last year, the company was criticized for not properly labeling AI music. Following that backlash, the company changed its policy and adopted the DDEX industry standard - a widely used labeling system for identifying AI-generated tracks - for its catalog. Now, Spotify has signed a deal with Universal Music Group (UMG) that allows fans to create AI covers and remixes of existing songs. While this agreement ensures artists are compensated, it will bring more AI music to the platform, and could make it harder for listeners to discover emerging human artists."

"Spotify is also partnering with the AI voice company ElevenLabs to release a tool that lets authors narrate audiobooks using AI voices. While this speeds up audiobook production, AI narration can still sound unnatural at times. Stranger still is the company's productivity push: the personal podcasts feature lets users generate AI-made podcasts about anything, including summaries of their calendars and emails."

"Earlier this month, the company introduced a tool for developers using AI coding assistants like Codex and Claude Code, allowing them to create podcasts and save them to their Spotify library. With the latest release, all users will be able to build personal podcasts through prompts directly in the app."

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