Spotify has launched a new beta feature called "Talk to Spotify" that lets Premium users control the app with voice or text commands. Rolling out gradually to users 18 or older in the US, Ireland and Sweden across iOS and Android devices in English, the feature works from the Home or Now Playing views on mobile.

By pressing the mic button in the search field or typing commands, users can have a back-and-forth conversation to choose what's playing, learn about music, revisit listening history, and explore podcasts and audiobooks. Commands like "play some artists I haven't heard before" can be fine-tuned with follow-ups such as "add some Bad Bunny" or "make it more upbeat." Users can also save songs, add to queue, or follow artists directly.

From the Now Playing view, the feature answers questions about songs and artists — for example, "what is the inspiration behind Dua Lipa's Radical Optimism?" or "when was this album released?" It also provides insights into personal listening history, such as "when did I first listen to this song?" or "what genres have I been into recently?"

The feature represents an appropriate use of AI to help users control and discover music, though more tools to avoid algorithmic slop would be welcome.