Music fans, get ready: YouTube has launched a new feature leveraging artificial intelligence to automatically generate playlists. The tool is now available for testing by YouTube Premium subscribers on both iOS and Android devices. Users can simply type a short text prompt to quickly generate a curated selection of songs.
Using the feature is straightforward. Navigate to the Library tab, then tap the “New” button and select “AI playlist.” The system then allows users to type or use voice commands. For example, you can request songs in the style of “raging death metal,” or a melancholic “sad post rock” vibe, or even a chill “progressive house mix for a chill party,” and the AI will assemble a playlist accordingly.
This move isn’t entirely unexpected, as YouTube began experimenting with AI-powered radio stations in the United States back in July 2024. Expanding this technology to full playlist creation represents a natural progression, building on previously developed capabilities to meet listener demand for effortless music discovery.
The rollout places YouTube in direct competition with streaming rivals like Spotify, Amazon Music, and Deezer, all of which have already introduced AI-powered playlist features. This launch underscores YouTube’s commitment to staying at the forefront of technological innovation in the music streaming space.
Beyond the technology itself, the addition of this feature is a strategic move to enhance the value proposition of YouTube Premium, particularly following reports of testing limitations on lyrics access within the YouTube Music app for some free users. Techcrunch reported that the company clarified these tests were limited to a small user base, but it signals a shift towards prioritizing benefits for paying subscribers.
Google’s subscription services are experiencing significant growth, with YouTube playing a key role. The company recently reported 325 million global subscribers across both Google One and YouTube Premium. Continued feature upgrades are crucial to retaining and expanding this customer base.
