Spotify rolls out 'AI-prompted playlists,' letting users ‘vibe’ their own way

Popular music streaming platform Spotify introduced a new feature on Thursday, January 22, 2026, to let you 'vibe' your own way.

Spotify rolled out "prompted playlist," an artificial intelligence-powered feature in the United States and Canada that allows premium users to tailor playlists using their listening habits and commands.

“We hear from listeners all the time that they love playlists, but making their own can feel daunting,” Spotify’s global head of editorial, Sulinna Ong, said in a statement announcing the news.

After its successful run in New Zealand, the expansion is the latest in a series of AI-powered updates on the Swedish streaming platform as it looks to attract more users to its subscription plans from the free tier.

"Listeners don't just want Spotify to understand them. They want to actively shape their own experience," Vice President of Product Personalization Molly Holder said in a media briefing.

Spotify said the new feature would position users as active participants who direct the algorithm using their own words and intentions, rather than being passive recipients of suggestions provided by the streaming platform.

The company’s editors created sample prompts, found under an “ideas” tab.

Unlike previous features such as AI playlists, prompted playlists will enable users to set "rules" for the generated content and can be scheduled to refresh daily or weekly, ensuring the music remains current, the company said.

The move follows Spotify's announcement earlier this month to increase the price of its monthly premium subscription plan by $1 to $12.99 in the United States, Estonia and Latvia markets beginning in February.

Spotify's 'AI-prompted playlist' for premium users:

The feature is now available in beta to premium subscribers in the U.S. and Canada and will roll out through the end of the month, and the company will begin testing it for other regions in December 2026.

The playlists can be curated to activities, like “high-energy pop and hip-hop for a 30-minute 5K run that keeps a steady pace before easing into relaxing songs for a cool-down,” with further prompts to include specific artists or time periods.