Apple Music debuts Playlist Playground AI tool to generate playlists from text prompts

Apple Music is getting two upgrades that Spotify has had for ages -- and thankfully, you don't even need Apple Intelligence

Apple has rolled out the first beta for iOS 26.4, and with that comes an exciting slew of new upgrades for Apple Music -- but it's this new Spotify-like AI playlist tool that's caught everyone's attention. The new 'Playlist Playground' tool, which borrows its name from Apple's photo-creation function 'Image Playground', allows you to create playlists by entering text prompts, or by using Apple's pre-set ideas. Using AI (likely Apple Intelligence) it will generate a fresh playlist of 25 songs with a custom title. Similarly to Spotify's flagship AI playlist tool, and also its Prompted Playlist feature, Playlist Playground survives on descriptive text prompts which you can enter to create specific-sounding playlists. You can ask it to create genre-specific playlists, ones based on a particular vibe (for example 'morning coffee music'), or ask it to gather songs from a certain time period. MacRumors has provided an image of the new tool (see above), and according to MacWorld, Playlist Playground can also generate playlists based on a selection of 'at least 10 different songs'. It also gives you the freedom to chop and change your prompt, edit the title, and manually add or remove songs before finalizing it -- but that's not the only feature that Apple Music is borrowing from Spotify. One of the most valuable Spotify features is the Live Events hub, a one-stop overview of all the upcoming gigs in your area, and it seems that Apple Music is developing its own version. In MacWorld's report, the outlet highlights that when you open Apple Music after installing the iOS 24.6 update, you'll be met with a pop-up stating that you'll be able to view upcoming live events from the app. We don't know how this will work or look in Apple Music yet, but MacWorld predicts it will be similar to Shazam's own tool (which is owned by Apple). If you have access to the iOS 24.6 beta, you can test out Playlist Playground by going to the Apple Music app and tapping the new '+' button in your Library, but a full rollout isn't expected to land until spring, which isn't a long wait at all. But I know what you're thinking, 'what if I don't have an Apple Intelligence phone?'. It turns out you don't have to miss out on Playlist Playground after all. Apple's flagship AI service is a tricky thing to dissect. It's still missing the long-awaited AI-powered Siri voice and, despite its availability across macOS 15 Sequoia, iOS 18, and iPadOS 18-supported devices, it doesn't mean that all products have Apple Intelligence features (the iPhone 16 is the first model designed for it). But not in the case of Playlist Playground. It turns out that even if you're not on a non-Apple Intelligence mobile device, you'll still be able to create AI playlists in Apple Music once Playlist Playground has rolled out -- at least, that's what beta testers have confirmed online (see below). General Note: AI Generated Playlists DO Work on Non Apple Intelligence iPhones from r/AppleMusic This lifts a huge restriction, as well as the heavy weight of concern, off a handful of Apple Music listeners without an Apple Intelligence-compatible device. That in mind, it must function similarly to the AutoMix function from last year, which can be used on any Apple device so long as it supports iOS 18 and above. It doesn't just welcome a new way to create personal playlists, it also invites a fresh way for music fans to discover new albums, songs, and artists to add to their Library, and tailor their in-app experiences to suit evolving music tastes. It's a win-win situation, if you ask me.

Apple Music Will Soon Let You Generate Playlists With AI

It is similar to AI playlist generators from other streaming services like Spotify and YouTube Music. Over the years, Apple Music has improved its algorithmic playlists. There's now an AI DJ, and you can use ChatGPT to generate playlists. With iOS 26.4, which is currently in beta, Apple wants you to make playlists with its own AI tech. The upcoming update includes a feature called "Playlist Playground," which lets you generate AI playlists directly in the Apple Music app -- as long as you're running iOS 26.4. I do not recommend installing and running beta versions of iOS on your primary iPhone. Beta software is unfinished, which means you could run into bugs and glitches that may impact how you use your iPhone, or even result in data loss. If you're itching to try out new features, it's best to ensure that you've taken a complete backup of your iPhone first. That way, you can always revert to an older installation in case something goes wrong. Even so, it's safer to run test software on a backup iPhone as opposed to your daily driver. With that said, if you're sure you want to go ahead and install iOS 26.4 right now, you can go to Settings > General > Software Update on your iPhone. Select Beta Updates > iOS 26 Developer Beta. Now, go back to the Software Update page and wait until you see iOS 26.4 Beta 1 appear. You can now download and install the update to try this new Apple Music feature. Once you're on iOS 26.4, you can open the Music app to get started with this feature. Tap the Library tab in the bottom bar, and then select the New Playlist button in the top-right corner. You should see the Playlist Playground feature here. (Note that this feature may not appear on devices that don't support Apple Intelligence, or if your Apple Account is from a region where Apple has restricted the rollout of AI features.) Once you activate the feature, you'll be able to generate playlists with AI. From here, you tell the AI what you want to listen to. You could get specific, with certain artists, songs, or genres, or ask for playlists that encompass a certain idea of mood. Apple has some pre-written prompts to get you started, such as "hip-hop party songs," but you can use your own text prompts too. AI-generated playlists have 25 songs by default, and you do have the option to customize the playlist further after it's created. You'll also be able to edit the title, cover image, and the description of AI-generated playlists. These playlists can be shared with others or displayed on your Apple Music profile, just like other playlists you create on the streaming service. It's similar in concept to other AI playlist generators on platforms like Spotify or YouTube Music. While Apple Music's Playlist Playground feature is a good start, it's not yet available to those of us who are unwilling to install developer beta versions of iOS 26. If that's you, there are other options out there for AI generated Apple Music playlists. There's the aforementioned ChatGPT integration, of course, but you could also use a third-party app, like PlaylistAI. It has many prompts for you to get started with, and can even generate playlists from music festival posters. The app does prompt you to get a subscription, but you can skip that prompt and use the free tier to generate a playlist quickly.

Apple Music Could Soon Let You Generate Playlists Using Apple Intelligence

The feature is available through the Library playlist creation option Apple has introduced a new AI-powered feature for Apple Music with the first iOS 26.4 developer beta that rolled out on Monday. The update adds Playlist Playground, a new tool that can generate playlists from simple text prompts, using Apple Intelligence. It is designed to help users discover music based on moods, genres, or specific themes. Small interface refinements are also being tested in the Apple Music app, including dynamic artwork-based backgrounds and a possible concerts discovery option. The feature is currently limited to developer testing, with a public beta expected soon. Apple Music Could Soon Let You Generate Playlists Using AI Prompts The Playlist Playground feature reportedly allows Apple Music users to create playlists using text prompts based on moods, genres, or themes. Users can access it from the Library section by choosing the option to make a new playlist. They can type a brief description, and the app will automatically suggest songs. Apple also provides preset prompt ideas for those who do not want to start from scratch. Screenshots of the new Playlist Playground feature shared by X user Max Weinbach (@mweinbach) give us a good look at the upcoming feature. Apple appears to have included a small disclaimer that says "Playlist Playground may create unexpected results." After a playlist is generated, users can continue to fine-tune it with follow-up prompts without starting over. They can manually add or remove tracks, change the order of songs, and customise the playlist before saving it to their library. The feature is also said to assign a custom title automatically and generate a list of around 25 song suggestions based on the user's request. Playlist Playground is part of Apple's broader Apple Intelligence rollout in iOS 26.4. However, the feature may not show up right away after installing the beta, as the required AI models may still be downloading in the background. Users may need to wait for the download to complete or check the Apple Intelligence and Siri settings before the option becomes available in the Music app. iOS 26.4 beta 1 also brings small Apple Music interface changes, including artwork-based dynamic backgrounds, and may add a concert discovery option for nearby live events. The update is currently available only to developers, with a public beta expected soon and a wider release later this year.

Apple is bringing an AI Playlist Playground to Apple Music in iOS 26.4 | Stuff

Apple Music is getting an AI playlist generator too, for those times you know the vibe you're seeking but can't find the perfect playlist Apple Music is following Spotify's lead by testing an AI playlist creation feature in the first iOS 26.4 beta developer beta, revealed on Tuesday. The feature enables users to fashion a new playlist based on a text prompt expressing the required vibe. There are also preset ideas you can select. Users can refine their playlist with further prompts, or manually add/delete/reorder songs. The feature might be useful for people who find the human-curated Apple Music playlists aren't quite fulfilling their needs in certain scenarios. It will enable listeners to get much more specific about what they want to hear, for example, by requesting something like "1987 pop music from bands with a female lead singer except Transvision Vamp". Or, in the unfortunate example showcased by 9to5Mac "stunning tracks echoing Coldplay's Yellow". Elsewhere in this first look at iOS 26.4, there's new full screen artwork for albums and playlists within the Apple Music app. Apple Podcasts also makes it easier to switch between the audio and video versions. There's a new Home Screen widget offering ambient music, a redesigned Wallpaper Gallery, and improvements to Reminders marked as Urgent. The beta software doesn't include any of the Google Gemini powered Siri features at this stage. That may happen a little later in the beta process. Although recent reports have suggested those features have returned to the back burner after underperforming in testing. iOS 26.4 will launch in public beta next before the public release expected sometime next month. Apple may choose to debut some of the more advanced Siri features at the March 4 'special experience' announced yesterday.