YouTube rolls out an AI playlist generator for Premium users | TechCrunch

YouTube is rolling out a new AI-powered playlist-generation feature that allows Premium users on iOS and Android to use text prompts to create playlists.

Users can go to the Library tab, tap the “New” button, and select the “AI playlist” option to get started. They can then use text or voice to enter the prompt of their choice, such as “raging death metal,” “sad post rock,” “progressive house mix for a chill party,” “indie pop” or “90s classic hits,” to build a playlist.

YouTube has been toying around with using AI to create playlists for a while. In July 2024, the company was testing a feature to let people create custom radio stations using prompts in the U.S.

Other rival streaming services like Spotify, Amazon Music and Deezer, have also rolled out AI-powered playlist or radio creation features.

YouTube has been trying to make its Premium plan more attractive to users. Earlier this week, the company started restricting free users from viewing song lyrics on the YouTube Music app. The company told TechCrunch that the restriction was an experiment it was running “with a small percentage of ad-supported users,” and that song lyrics are available to the vast majority of free users.

Google has seen an uptick in its subscription business, and YouTube is a key part of that division. Earlier this month, the company said it now has 325 million paying users across Google One and YouTube Premium.