Is Spotify’s AI attempting to get rid of radio?

With the new AI Dj system on Spotify, it seems that it could be a threat to the profession of Radio.

What is the AI

Recently Spotify has been integrating a new feature on their app called DJ. The feature is an AI that sees music listened to by the user and provides a playlist for them. Three or four songs will play, and then a voice will interrupt the user’s streaming. Its purpose is to create a connection between the user and the program. A vocal AI will generate sentences to introduce the next songs in the Dj order. The mixed reactions from Spotify users have been surprising. The AI is either being disregarded by users or annoying them. However, it has generated an interesting question regarding the future of radio.

The end of radio?

This program easily spells an alternative to radio. Despite streaming already doing this, the feature provides a larger alternative to radio and DJs. The voice they use for this program is one that Spotify users may already recognize. That voice belongs to Xavier “X” Jernigan, who hosted a podcast for Spotify called The GetUp. 

“His personality and voice resonated with our listeners and resulted in a loyal following for the podcast,” said Spotify.

Now radio is an industry that has been “dying” for years. As a result, streaming platforms on a cellphone became the cheaper option for listening to music, thus, causing the MP3 player and I-pod to diminish. Nevertheless, radio is still around and adapting to streaming sites like I-Heart Radio or even allowing streaming on their websites. Even radio has started playing around with the concept of AI, to mixed success, testing it as an on-air DJ. AI being an on-air DJ is an issue within itself. Still, it shows how radio is adapting.

Radio personnel and their thoughts

One note of interest is that from first reactions, personnel within radio doesn’t seem to be bugged by this development. There hasn’t been an outcry for Spotify to stop. It has, instead, coasted by. If this feature were to develop more, there is a chance it could highly affect DJs the most. To get opinions of DJs, I spoke to multiple from NCC’s WONC.

“I don’t see it replacing actual radio anytime soon. While the idea is interesting from Spotify as it almost came out of no where, there shouldn’t be any reason why it replaces it. Having the human factor of radio makes it feel personal and the connections you make with the audience will forever make it better than AI,” said Hayden Kryzanowski, ’25.

In addition, the ability of the DJ to form a connection with the people listening is an essential part of the job.

“The way I see it, the job of a DJ is to provide entertainment along with a genuine human connection. These AI DJs can try all they want to mimic the entertainment half of the job, but there is no way to program a personality into them, and without that there’s no point,” said Zane Trumann, ’23.

When talking to members of WONC, I got to speak with the general manager at WONC, Zach DeWitz, who has experience in multiple commercial stations.

“To me, using AI DJs seems like a fad being pushed by corporate suits who are desperately trying to find the magic solution to declining listenership. Instead of investing in live, local and capable talent that can bring listeners in and hold them, they’re trying to minimize their losses as quickly and easily as possible without thinking about the long term effects,” said DeWitz.

The future

With the push for AI happening more often in many fields of work, it seems as though radio will remain largely unaffected. For the most part, people within the line of work believe it won’t affect them or the world of radio. Anything can happen, and it will be interesting to see what the future holds.