Key Takeaways
- Spotify’s latest addition to Wrapped is called AI Podcasts. They are available in select countries, expanding Spotify’s AI-powered features.
- AI-generated hosts discuss users’ music tastes in wrapped podcast format, using Google’s NotebookLM tech.
- Standard Spotify Wrapped playlists and Sound Capsules remain available to all users, while Premium subscribers can use special Wrapped features in AI DJ and AI Playlists.
It’s that time again when exciting summaries of the year’s events start rolling in, and plenty of casual music listeners have been looking forward to Spotify’s Wrapped for 2024. As one of the most popular music players on Android, the app has billions of users worldwide, each with their own unique taste in music. Wrapped summarizes the year’s listening stats into individualized playlists, but this year, Spotify has partnered with Google Labs to create custom podcasts for every user.
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Usually, there’s a very slim chance that real living radio hosts or podcasters would discuss the average Spotify user’s taste in music. However, Google’s NotebookLM research tool has a feature called Audio Overviews, which summarizes documents you upload in audio format. Spotify is using the same tech this year to have two AI-generated hosts discuss your Wrapped 2024 in a podcast format called Wrapped AI Podcast. This limited-time feature is the first NotebookLM collaboration of its kind.
Spotify’s Senior Director of Product for Personalization, Molly Holder, says you can expect three to six minutes of AI-generated discussion about your taste in music. Although AI’s unintended use of expletives and other offensive language is a bone of contention, Holder has confirmed Wrapped AI Podcasts will retain potentially offensive song titles and such, but the AI-generated voices won’t use any inappropriate language. Separately, Google Labs’ Head of Editorial, Steven Johnson confirmed the podcasts will use the same voices you hear in NotebookLM’s Audio Overviews.
Limited but convenient availability
There’s something for everyone
Spotify Wrapped is rolling out globally today, but the new Wrapped AI Podcast feature is limited to users in the US, UK, Australia, New Zealand, Canada, Ireland, and Sweden. We believe Google could be the reason for the limited availability since the legalese surrounding AI isn’t clear in every market where Spotify operates.
If you’re a Spotify user in one of the above countries, you’ll find your Wrapped AI Podcast right on the app’s home page in your Wrapped feed. You can also use the Search tab to look up “Your Wrapped AI Podcast” or use this link to open it on the web. The podcast audio is downloadable and shareable, too.
It’s worth noting that AI Podcasts are the third major addition to Spotify’s array of AI-powered utilities, comprising AI DJ launched for Premium subscribers in February, followed by AI Playlists released in April. Premium subscribers with access to AI DJ can also enjoy the special DJ: Wrapped in beta. AI Playlist fans can create custom playlists that further narrow down Wrapped selections with prompts like “a playlist of the sad songs I heard the most this year.”
That said, Spotify’s standard Wrapped playlists and experiences are still available, even if you aren’t in one of the above-mentioned countries or don’t have a premium account. You also have access to monthly summaries called Sound Capsules.
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