AI can curate your music now. But should it?

OpenAI just unveiled a feature that lets ChatGPT build Spotify playlists for you. Simply describe the vibe, and the chatbot assembles songs matching your request. No clicking through albums. No agonizing over track order. Just instant, algorithm-generated background music.

Convenient? Sure. Necessary? Absolutely not.

The Sacred Art of Playlist Building

Making playlists isn’t just dragging songs into a queue. It’s emotional architecture. Each track choice means something.

Music soundtracks our lives in profound ways. A certain melody transports you to a specific moment. Lyrics hit like gut punches. Songs remind you of home or bring you closer to distant loved ones.

Plus, a great playlist comes from instinct and love. Not algorithmic compatibility.

That personal touch matters. Your friends notice when you’ve carefully built something versus when you’ve let a machine do the work.

How ChatGPT’s Spotify Integration Works

OpenAI introduced this feature at their recent Dev Day. The company launched a new App SDK that lets developers plug services directly into ChatGPT. Spotify joined as one of the first integrations, alongside Zillow and Coursera.

The process seems simple. Ask ChatGPT to “make a playlist for a dinner party.” The chatbot generates a selection from Spotify’s catalog. No manual curation required.

OpenAI App SDK integrates ChatGPT with Spotify Zillow and Coursera

But does simple equal better?

Testing ChatGPT’s Musical Taste

I had to try it myself. Nobody should criticize something without firsthand experience.

I typed “Spotify” into ChatGPT and requested: “Can you help me make a playlist for a Friendsgiving party? I need a playlist mostly catered to people in their mid-20s to 40s, but isn’t too specific to one genre or artist.”

First, ChatGPT demanded access to my Spotify account. That immediately felt invasive. I granted permission reluctantly and revoked it the moment testing finished.

The result? A “Friendsgiving Party Mix” drowning in 2000s and 2010s pop music. Every single track was pop. The variety I requested never materialized.

The Playlist Fell Flat

ChatGPT included maybe two songs I’d actually play for guests. The rest ranged from overplayed hits to tracks I actively avoid.

Many selections never appear in my curated playlists. Few exist among my Liked songs. Some I’d literally never heard before.

Here’s the uncomfortable part. I wouldn’t feel confident playing this at a party. How could I explain to music-loving friends that ChatGPT generated our soundtrack? The embarrassment alone isn’t worth the convenience.

Moreover, isn’t the point of a special playlist that it’s something you’re sharing? Shouldn’t you have reasons for including those specific songs?

Personal playlist curation versus algorithmic ChatGPT automated music selection

Spotify Already Runs on AI

Spotify’s algorithm quietly powers tons of features already. Daily Mixes, Discover Weekly, and “Made for You” playlists nail your taste with spooky accuracy.

These features appear instantly and work brilliantly for quick needs. Dog walks, short drives, background music while cooking. They’ve covered those use cases for years.

So what does ChatGPT actually add here? Just another layer between you and something that already works seamlessly. An unnecessary conversational wrapper around an algorithm that was humming along fine on its own.

The magic of Spotify’s existing features is their simplicity. They just appear when you need them. No prompting. No explaining. No granting third-party access.

Some Things Shouldn’t Be Automated

Music remains one of the few internet spaces that still feels deeply personal. Curating a playlist for any occasion is an act of care. Whether you’re soundtracking a party, processing a breakup, or just surviving Tuesday at work.

Handing that over to a chatbot feels like outsourcing the fun part. The part that makes playlists meaningful.

OpenAI clearly wants ChatGPT to become the universal interface for everything. But not everything needs automation. Some human experiences lose their value when you remove the human element.

Building and sharing music that shapes our lives should stay in human hands. The imperfections, the personal touches, the songs that surprise your friends because only you would choose them. That’s what makes playlists special.

So no, I won’t be using ChatGPT to curate my music. Some conveniences aren’t worth what you lose in the process.