Spotify Signals a Future with a More Talkative AI Voice Interface

Spotify has a history of experimenting with voice-based features, from earlier voice controls to its newer AI DJ, which curates personalized music recommendations and responds to user requests. During the company’s second-quarter 2025 earnings call with investors, Spotify’s Chief Product and Technology Officer, Gustav Söderström, hinted at an exciting future where advancements in generative AI could transform the streaming service’s voice interface into something far more conversational and intuitive. When asked about AI’s impact on Spotify’s business, Söderström highlighted how users can already interact with the platform using natural, plain-English commands to request specific songs, artists, or playlists. This interaction is generating a unique and valuable dataset for Spotify, distinct from its existing song-to-song recommendation system. “Think of it as a new dataset,” Söderström explained, likening Spotify’s playlist-based recommendations to Amazon’s “people who bought this also bought that” model. The voice data, however, offers fresh insights into how users’ spoken phrases connect to their music preferences, creating a rapidly growing pool of information that Spotify is eager to leverage.

“This is completely new to us, and it’s a very, very valuable dataset that we’re collecting quickly,” Söderström noted. He suggested that this data will drive significant improvements in user experiences, making them “much more interactive” in the near future. Spotify’s vision includes expanding its voice interface so users can engage with the platform in more dynamic ways, whether they’re requesting music, podcasts, or audiobooks.

The reference to “reasoning” over user data points to Spotify exploring advanced AI models capable of more sophisticated tasks. Unlike the current AI DJ, which primarily predicts what users might enjoy based on their listening habits, future iterations could analyze a user’s history and spoken requests to deliver more nuanced and context-aware responses. This shift toward reasoning-based AI suggests Spotify is aiming for a voice interface that feels like a natural, back-and-forth conversation.

The foundation for these advancements lies in Spotify’s AI DJ feature, introduced to Premium subscribers in May 2025. By pressing a button in the app, users can issue voice commands in English to change tracks, switch genres, or adjust the mood of a playlist. This feature has been instrumental in collecting the voice data that Spotify is now using to refine its AI capabilities.

Beyond enhancing consumer experiences, Spotify is also harnessing generative AI internally to accelerate its operations. Söderström shared that the company is using AI to prototype products more quickly and improve efficiencies in areas like finance, signaling a broad commitment to integrating cutting-edge technology across its business.

On the financial front, Spotify reported strong growth in its Q2 2025 results, with 276 million paying subscribers, a 12% increase year-over-year, and 696 million monthly active users. However, the company faced challenges, posting a loss after missing revenue targets. Its stock dropped 10% following the earnings call, driven by weak guidance and CEO Daniel Ek’s candid remarks about his frustration with the performance of Spotify’s advertising business.

As Spotify continues to innovate with AI, its focus on a more conversational voice interface could redefine how users interact with the platform, making music discovery and curation feel more personal and seamless than ever before.

Read the full article here: https://medium.com/@MsquareAutomation/spotify-signals-a-future-with-a-more-talkative-ai-voice-interface-5900d54f112e