Spotify adds AI-powered Q&A and briefing generation features to podcasts

Key Takeaways

→ AI Q&A for podcasts rolls out to Premium mobile users in the US, Sweden, and Ireland on May 21, 2026

→ Users can ask about an episode or a concept, and request podcast recommendations on specific topics

→ Personal podcast generation supports custom prompts, recurring daily or weekly briefs, and links, PDFs, and text inputs with a custom voice

→ Studio by Spotify Labs is a desktop app that connects users' email and calendar to generate personalized briefings

→ Spotify is adding creator subscriptions to unlock exclusive podcast content and its sponsorship tool for brand partnerships

Until now, Spotify has been a place to consume podcasts made by others. At its Investor Day on May 21, 2026, the company moved to change that, unpacking a suite of AI features that let users generate podcasts, ask questions about episodes, and personalise briefings.

Personal Podcast Generation

Spotify now lets users generate a personal podcast from an idea or custom prompt. A request like “Share my daily city updates, and tell me about local concerts from artists I love” produces a podcast saved to the user’s library. Users can schedule daily or weekly briefs for recurring interests, create one-off explainer podcasts, and attach links, PDFs, and text, choosing a custom voice. The approach borrows from Google’s NotebookLM, ElevenLabs’ reader, and the former NotebookLM developers’ app Huxe. Earlier in May, Spotify released a GitHub-based command-line tool for Claude Code and Codex that creates podcasts and saves them to a library, with in-app creation promised soon.

AI Q&A for Podcasts

Spotify is rolling out an AI-powered Q&A feature for Premium mobile users in the US, Sweden, and Ireland today. Listeners can ask questions about the episode they are hearing or a concept mentioned in it to get answers, or request podcast recommendations on specific topics. The release follows the prompted playlist feature for podcasts in April and lands a week after Google’s Ask YouTube brought conversational search to video.

Studio by Spotify Labs

Alongside the in-app features, Spotify released Studio by Spotify Labs, a dedicated desktop app that connects with users’ email and calendar to create personalized briefings - positioning Spotify against NotebookLM and others building daily briefs in text or audio format.

For Podcast Creators

Spotify is also giving podcast makers more monetisation levers: its creator sponsorship tool now manages brand partnerships, and a new way for creators to charge a subscription unlocks exclusive content and experiences - a model already offered by Instagram, Facebook, and Snapchat. With video podcast streaming up 50% year-on-year, the AI push is Spotify’s bet that turning listeners into active question-askers and podcast-makers deepens engagement on the platform.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do I use Spotify's new AI Q&A feature for podcasts?

Premium mobile users in the US, Sweden, and Ireland can ask questions about the episode they are listening to or a concept mentioned in it, and get answers or podcast recommendations on specific topics, starting May 21, 2026.

Can you schedule AI-generated podcasts on Spotify?

Yes. Spotify lets users create personal podcasts from a prompt and schedule them as daily or weekly briefs for topics they have a recurring interest in, with links, PDFs, and custom voices supported.

What is Studio by Spotify Labs?

It is a dedicated desktop app that connects with your email and calendar to create personalized audio briefings, complementing Spotify's in-app personal podcast generation tools.