YouTube Music starts testing AI radio station creation feature: Here's how it works

YouTube is reportedly testing a new AI-powered feature for YouTube Music, which Reddit users spotted in limited testing, as reported by 9to5Google. The AI ​​feature will allow users to create custom radio stations by describing music videos and requesting the music they want to hear.

Currently, YouTube Music requires app users to manually enter a specific song or artist to search for a track. However, a Reddit user shared some screenshots that explain how this AI feature will work on YouTube Music. He said that once the feature is rolled out to users, they will see a “Request Music Any Way” card in the app's home feed.

Clicking on the card labeled “Request music any way you like” opens a chat interface. You'll then be presented with a text box where you can type your request or use voice commands to tell the app what type of music you'd like to hear.

According to the screenshots, the card will appear in purple or pink. It works similarly to the existing “Create a Radio: Music Tuner” card that was introduced earlier this year and is now permanently located within the Library tab within New FAB. This new feature represents a big step forward in allowing users to communicate their requests using language commands.

Additionally, the music streaming service is experimenting with a new feature that will allow users to create custom radio stations based on their mood and preferred genres. The streaming app reportedly acknowledges that the upcoming feature is still in development. This delay may result in inconsistencies in the quality and accuracy of the stations generated.

To make things easier, YouTube Music also offers pre-made prompts, such as “catchy pop choruses” and “epic soundtracks.” Additionally, the app has a “Surprise Me!” option, which allows the app to generate completely random stations based on an algorithm.

Once the user has filled in the selected prompt, the music streaming application will create a custom radio station based on the description and display it using the existing playlist card format. The station will be named similar to the prompt, labeled “Created for you,” and have a short description.

It's worth noting that this experimental feature is currently only available to select Android device users, and the company has yet to confirm whether you'll need a YouTube Premium subscription to avail the feature, but we expect to see more details from the platform in the coming months.