Spotify is expanding its AI DJ feature with more voice and personality choices and a setting that reduces commentary between songs. The update gives Premium subscribers a way to customise the assistant more like a conversational AI product, while preserving the option to listen with less interruption. Spotify says the feature is used by more than 94 million Premium listeners, making it one of the company’s established AI experiences. The new voices are rolling out in English and Spanish across markets where AI DJ is already supported. The changes show Spotify refining a product that combines music recommendations with a spoken presentation layer rather than introducing an entirely new listening service.
The update adds seven English voice options with accents including British, American, Irish, Australian and Indian, alongside two new Spanish voices. Each voice has a distinct personality, giving listeners a choice between styles that are described as warm, direct, energetic or friendly. The original DJ voice, known as X, remains available and was based on recordings of a Spotify employee. The Spanish options are changing, with Nico and Fabi replacing the earlier voice Livi. These choices can make the feature feel more personal, but they also raise the challenge of maintaining a consistent tone while keeping music recommendations relevant.
Voice choice becomes part of music personalisation
The new control over commentary addresses a different kind of personalisation. Spotify’s AI DJ typically introduces music selections and explains why it chose them, but some listeners may prefer uninterrupted playback. The new setting lets users reduce the narration to brief acknowledgements when starting or stopping the DJ. That may make the feature more suitable for parties, background listening or situations where spoken interruptions are distracting. The change recognises that personalisation is not only about selecting the right songs. It is also about controlling the interface and the amount of explanation that accompanies the content.
Spotify launched AI DJ in 2023 as an early example of using generative AI to make music discovery feel more conversational. Since then, the company has added other AI-related features, including chat-based music assistance, prompt-based recommendation controls and AI playlist creation. It has also explored connections with third-party agents such as ChatGPT and Claude. The DJ remains a distinct experience because it combines a curated stream with a synthetic host that introduces tracks. The latest update builds on that format rather than replacing it, giving users more ways to shape the voice and pacing of the listening session.
To change the settings, users can search for DJ in the Spotify app and open the three-dot menu to select a voice and commentary preference. They can also change genres, artists and recommendations while the DJ is playing by tapping the DJ button again. The controls are straightforward, but availability depends on whether the feature is supported in the user’s market and whether the account has Premium access. Spotify has said the new voices begin rolling out to Premium users in more than 95 markets where DJ is available. The supported language set includes English, Spanish, French, German, Italian and Brazilian Portuguese, although the new voice options are specifically described for English and Spanish.
The broader significance is that Spotify is making its AI features less prescriptive. A conversational host may help users discover music, but a listener should not have to accept constant narration to benefit from personalised recommendations. Giving people control over voice and commentary may improve retention by making the DJ fit different listening contexts. The feature will still need to provide accurate music choices and avoid repetitive explanations. Spotify’s challenge is to make AI feel like a useful layer around the catalogue rather than a distraction from the music itself. The new options are incremental, but they show the company responding to how people actually use the service.