Spotify introduces AI audio tools, creator memberships, and ticket perks

Spotify executives outline the company’s AI-focused future and new premium features during Spotify Investor Day 2026. (Image: Spotify)Digital audio streaming service, Spotify on Thursday, May 21, outlined its long-term strategy at its 2026 Investor Day. The company that has been witnessing a steady growth in users, is focussing on AI-powered personalisation, new premium features, creator subscriptions, and expanded audiobook capabilities. The platform said that it wants to deepen user engagement and create more paid experiences apart from music streaming. Speaking at the event, Spotify Co-CEO Gustav Söderström said the company is building what it calls a “Large Taste Model”, using Spotify’s user data and listening habits to personalise experiences in real time. “We’re entering the era of Generation, where the experience isn’t just selected from a catalogue. It’s shaped by each of our users, in real time, around their taste, context, and intent,” Söderström said.Further, the company said it plans to evolve beyond a traditional streaming platform into a broader media and audio ecosystem spread across music, podcasts, audiobooks, and AI-generated content. Meanwhile, co-CEO Alex Norström said the company’s growth strategy is centred on increasing long-term engagement rather than short-term spikes in usage. He added that users who engage with music, podcasts, and audiobooks together tend to use Spotify almost daily. Spotify also highlighted the growth of its Premium business, saying some subscribers are willing to pay more for additional features and services. The company noted that audiobooks have become one of its fastest-growing paid offerings. Key announcements from 2026 Investor Day Among the announcements was a new feature called Reserved, which will allow select Spotify Premium users to access concert tickets before they go on sale to the general public. Spotify said the feature is aimed at rewarding artists’ most dedicated fans. It also announced new licensing agreements with Universal Music Group and Universal Music Publishing Group. Under the deal, Spotify plans to launch a tool that will let users legally create song covers and remixes using participating artists’ catalogues. The feature will be offered as a paid add-on, with Premium users getting early access.Story continues below this ad Further, the company introduced Memberships, a creator-focused subscription system that will let eligible creators offer paid subscriptions directly to fans on Spotify later this year. It is also developing AI-generated Personal Podcasts, where users can enter prompts and receive short private audio content tailored to their listening preferences and interests. On the audiobooks front, Spotify said it expects its Audiobooks+ offering to reach $100 million in annualised recurring revenue by July. The company also plans to introduce new audiobook add-on tiers for Family and Student plans later this year. Additionally, Spotify unveiled Studio by Spotify Labs, a standalone desktop app that can generate personalised audio content, including podcasts, playlists, and daily briefings, using a user’s Spotify activity and connected tools such as calendars and inboxes. The app will initially roll out as a research preview in more than 20 markets.