Spotify’s AI is No Match for a Real DJ

The AI DJ: A Glimpse into the Future of Music Curation

A Hazard of the Job

At the risk of stating the obvious, AI is absolutely everywhere lately. There’s AI in your car, AI in your messaging app, AI in your glasses. I’ve gotten pretty desensitized to it all as a hazard of the job, but it was Spotify’s AI DJ that actually got my attention.

A Familiar Concept

I’ve listened to a top 40 radio station in the past two decades, so I’m familiar with the concept of a robot picking music for me. In that context, an AI DJ doesn’t seem like much of a stretch. But after using it on and off for a week, I’m convinced it’s the perfect analogy for our AI-everything moment.

The Real Thing

See, here in Seattle, we’re extremely spoiled. In between the robot-programmed, conglomerate-owned stations, we have a real honest-to-god independent station on our radio dials: 90.3, to be precise. I started listening to KEXP through their online stream years before I moved to Seattle. Being a local has only made me more of a fan; I celebrated the opening of the “new” KEXP location in 2016 and saw one of my favorite bands play a free in-studio show there not long before they broke up.

The Friday Song

It’s not that I like everything that I hear on KEXP. “The Friday song” is banned in my house because my husband and I are both so sick of it. And as much as I’ve tried, I can’t get into Wet Leg. It’s a me problem. But that’s kind of the point of a radio station, isn’t it? You hear some stuff you like and some stuff you’re not as into. Maybe you hear a song you forgot about but love or a band you dig that you’ve never heard before. It’s a well-rounded meal, while an AI-curated set feels like a dessert buffet. It’s all the stuff you love, and it’s great at first, but then it gives you a stomach ache after a while.

The Connection

It hits different than when it comes from an algorithm. When a real human plays a song you really like because they really like it, too, it hits different than when it comes from an algorithm.

A Way of Connection

Being on air and sharing music is “a way of connection with thousands of people across the world,” says Evie Stokes, DJ and host of KEXP’s Drive Time. “It’s a great way for me to be honest and have accountability and community that I think we so desperately need.”

A Podcast is Just Humans Talking to Each Other

Does anyone actually want an AI DJ calling them by name? Does anybody want an AI-generated DM from their favorite creator? Does anyone want to have a Zoom meeting with your AI avatar? Maybe, but I think the tech executives pushing for more of this stuff are vastly overestimating this demand and underestimating the value that a real human brings to an exchange. People want to listen to podcasts, for Christ’s sake. A podcast is just humans talking to each other. Conceptually, listening to a podcast is about as advanced as gathering round the radio for your favorite program like people did a hundred years ago. Some things are constants.

Conclusion

The AI DJ is a kind of totem of the particular AI moment we’re in. Generative AI is buzzy, and tech companies are busy shoving it into every corner of every product they make, whether it has any business being there or not. There’s plenty of stuff AI can do and probably will do for us in the near future. But standing in for a real human, especially in creative applications, isn’t one of them.

FAQs

Q: What is the Spotify AI DJ?
A: The Spotify AI DJ is a feature that uses AI to curate music playlists for users.

Q: Is the AI DJ better than human DJs?
A: No, the AI DJ is not better than human DJs. Human DJs bring a personal touch and connection to their listeners that AI cannot replicate.

Q: Can AI replace human DJs?
A: No, AI cannot replace human DJs. Human DJs are essential to the music industry and provide a unique experience for listeners.

Q: What is the value of human DJs?
A: The value of human DJs lies in their ability to connect with listeners, provide a personal touch, and bring a unique perspective to their music curation.