YouTube is rolling out a new AI-powered playlist generator for YouTube Music, allowing Premium subscribers on iOS and Android devices to create custom playlists using natural language prompts. The feature, announced in early , enables users to turn an idea, mood, or genre into a curated list of songs without manual searching.
YouTube Music has integrated a new “AI Playlist” option into its mobile applications for paying subscribers. According to the company’s announcement, users can access the tool by navigating to the “Library” tab, tapping the “New” button, and selecting the new AI feature. From there, they can input a text or voice prompt describing the desired playlist.
Example prompts provided by the service include descriptive requests such as “raging death metal,” “sad post rock,” “progressive house mix for a chill party,” “indie pop,” or “90s classic hits.” The AI then generates a playlist based on the user’s input, drawing from YouTube Music’s extensive catalog. The feature is intended to provide a more conversational and intuitive method for music discovery and curation.
This rollout places YouTube Music in direct competition with other major streaming services that have already deployed similar AI tools. Spotify began testing its AI Playlist feature for Premium users in the U.K. and Australia in and has since expanded it to markets including the U.S. and Canada. Spotify’s tool, also in beta, allows for prompt-based creation and refinement of playlists.
Amazon Music has also introduced a prompt-based generator called Maestro for some of its users. While Apple Music uses machine learning for its recommendations, it does not currently offer a native, prompt-based AI playlist generator, though some code in the iOS 18 beta suggests a feature for AI-generated playlist art may be in development.
The introduction of the AI Playlist feature is part of a broader industry trend to integrate generative AI into music streaming platforms. Companies are leveraging this technology to enhance personalization, drive user engagement, and add value to their premium subscription tiers. By automating the creation process, services aim to make it easier for users to translate abstract moods or ideas into listenable collections, thereby deepening their interaction with the platform. This move also serves to keep YouTube Music competitive with rivals who have already established AI-driven features like Spotify’s AI DJ and AI Playlists.
Several details about the new feature remain unspecified by YouTube. It is currently unknown if the AI Playlist generator will be made available to free-tier users or on the web version of YouTube Music. The company has not disclosed the specific AI model powering the feature, though a Gemini logo has been noted next to the tool in the app. Additionally, there is no information on the number of songs generated per playlist or whether users can edit prompts or refresh the generated playlists over time—capabilities offered by some competitors.
The feature is currently rolling out to YouTube Premium and YouTube Music Premium subscribers. The immediate next step is the completion of this rollout across the iOS and Android user bases. Based on user feedback and engagement with the initial version, YouTube may refine the AI’s performance and potentially expand the feature’s capabilities. A future expansion could include availability on other platforms or for a wider audience, though the company has not announced any such plans.
YouTube Premium and YouTube Music Premium subscribers who wish to use the new feature can follow these steps:
- Ensure the YouTube Music app is updated to the latest version on their iOS or Android device.
- Open the app and navigate to the “Library” tab.
- Tap the “New” button and select the “AI Playlist” option.
- Enter a descriptive text or voice prompt to generate a playlist.
- Experiment with different types of prompts, combining genres, moods, artists, or activities for more tailored results.
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