Spotify hands control of AI recommendations to users with new Taste Profile feature

Spotify Introduces User-Controlled AI Recommendations at SXSW

Spotify is shifting control of its AI recommendations directly into the hands of listeners. Co-CEO Gustav Söderström announced the Taste Profile feature during a session at SXSW on Friday, marking a significant departure from purely algorithmic curation 1

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. This AI-powered feature allows users to see exactly how Spotify interprets their listening habits and then customize those interpretations to fine-tune algorithm's recommendations across music, podcasts and audiobooks 2

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Currently in beta, the feature will roll out first to Premium subscribers in New Zealand in the coming weeks before expanding more broadly 3

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. "Taste is not fact. It's an option," Söderström stated while speaking at SXSW, emphasizing the company's vision of personalization as an active choice rather than a passive experience 5

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How the Taste Profile Feature Works

Spotify's Taste Profile brings transparency to what has long been a black box. The feature surfaces everything the platform understands about user preferences in one place, from listening patterns and most-played artists to preferred genres and artists 4

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. Users can access their profile by tapping their profile picture in the Spotify app or on desktop, scrolling down and selecting Taste Profile 4

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The interface shows a summary of listening habits with a "Tell us more" prompt at the bottom 2

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. From there, listeners can control your recommendations by requesting more Justin Bieber or less house music, for example 1

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. The system accepts natural language prompts and handles ambiguous requests, such as wanting upbeat music for marathon training or news podcasts for a commute 2

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User Control Over Algorithms Becomes Central Strategy

This launch signals a broader shift in how Spotify approaches algorithmic curation. The company is positioning it not as something users passively engage with, but as a tool they actively wield to customize listening preferences 4

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. Users can flag when their profile misses the mark, asking for more or less of a certain vibe or simply sharing what mood they're in 3

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Over time, this input will determine what gets prioritized, what gets dialed back, and what appears next on the Spotify homepage 3

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. The feature is optional, and users who prefer the existing experience can leave it and enjoy Spotify as usual 2

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Spotify's Expanding AI Push Under New Leadership

Taste Profile represents the second major AI feature Spotify has introduced this year, following the Prompted Playlist tool launched in January 4

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. Like Taste Profile, Prompted Playlist saw beta testing in New Zealand first before expanding to US and Canadian users a month later 2

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Gustav Söderström and fellow co-CEO Alex Norström took over the Stockholm-based company in January after longtime chief Daniel Ek stepped down to become executive chairman 5

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. Söderström, a 17-year Spotify veteran who previously served as chief product and tech officer, had already ramped up the company's product cadence, with 50 new features and updates rolling out last year 5

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Personalization remains central to Spotify's strategy to dominate not just music but also podcasts and audiobooks. The company now has 751 million monthly active users and counts about 3.5 percent of the world's population as subscribers, with ambitions to grow that figure to 10 percent or even 15 percent 5

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. The ability to personalize AI-driven Taste Profile across all content types positions Spotify to deepen engagement as it expands beyond music streaming into a comprehensive audio platform.