YouTube launches AI playlist generator for premium subscribers | Technology News
3 min readNew DelhiFeb 11, 2026 12:37 PM IST
YouTube has introduced a new artificial intelligence feature that allows its premium subscribers to create playlists simply by describing the kind of music they want to hear. The update is now being rolled out to premium users on both iOS and Android devices.
The new tool relieves users from the hassle of having to find specific songs or take time arranging the tracks. Users can simply type or call out in a few words, and YouTube’s AI will create a playlist that fits the mood, genre, or theme described in the text.
This isn’t the first of YouTube’s experiments with AI-driven music features: in July 2024, the company began testing a tool that lets users create custom radio stations using prompts. The new playlist generator appears to be a more refined version of that idea, now made available more widely to paying subscribers.
YouTube is not alone in this move. Other music streaming services such as Spotify, Amazon Music, and Deezer have also introduced similar AI-based playlists or radios. The competition for music streaming is increasing with time, and various companies are trying to differentiate themselves.
How the feature works
Premium subscribers can simply go to the Library tab in the YouTube app, tap the “New” button, and then press “AI playlist”. The app then invites them to enter a prompt using text or voice.
For example, users can request playlists such as “death metal”, “sad post rock”, “house mix for a chill party”, “indie pop”, or even “90s Bollywood classic hits”. Within seconds, the AI builds a custom playlist based on the description.
The goal is to make music discovery easier and more personal. Instead of browsing through ready-made playlists, listeners can describe exactly what they feel like hearing at that moment.
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Strengthening the premium offering
The rollout comes as YouTube works to make its premium subscription more appealing. Earlier this week, the company began limiting access to song lyrics for some free users of the YouTube Music app. According to YouTube, this was part of a small-scale experiment affecting a limited number of ad-supported accounts.
Subscription services have become increasingly important for Google, YouTube’s parent company. Earlier this month, Google said it had 325 million paying subscribers across services, including Google One and YouTube Premium.
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