Spotify Introduces AI-DJ, a Virtual Radio Host

Spotify has unveiled a novelty – an AI DJ with a "live" voice, which compiles individual track listings and comments on compositions. This feature personalizes the radio listening experience and makes it more comfortable.

At the end of February, Spotify announced the introduction of a new feature in the service – DJ, created based on artificial intelligence. The virtual presenter compiles a personal playlists for the users, considering their preferences, manages them and comments on the songs being played, like a living person. The developers got a fairly accurate imitation of a radio host, diluting a series of tracks with short remarks about them or their performers. Representatives of the company claim that this "smart" assistant can study the users and their taste so well that it can choose the most suitable compositions.

The DJ's voice is a product of special voice technology from Sonantic AI (a startup acquired by Spotify in 2022). Speech is generated by AI technology provided by the OpenAI Research Lab. Emily Galloway, director of product design for personalization products at Spotify, noted that while there are some similarities between the DJ's comments, their sequence is unique to each user, as it is based on individual preferences and habits.

Currently, only one voice is available. It was created based on the vocals of Xavier "X" Jernigan, who previously hosted the morning show "The Get Up" on the Spotify platform. In the future, the service plans to expand the "range" of voices so that users can choose not only different sounds (male or female, timbre, pitch), but also different styles – from optimistic to melancholy.

Personal AI-DJ is currently in beta testing and is available exclusively to Spotify Premium subscribers located in Canada and the United States. It only speaks English.