Spotify on Wednesday introduced a new beta feature called ‘Prompted Playlists’ giving users expanded control over how the platform’s recommendation algorithm shapes their listening experience.

The tool is rolling out first to Premium subscribers in New Zealand and is available only in English at launch, the company said.

Positioned as an upgrade to Spotify’s existing AI playlist option, the new feature lets users describe in detail what they want to hear and generates a personalised playlist built around the “full arc” of their tastes. Unlike earlier playlist tools, it draws not just on recent activity but on a listener’s entire history on the platform.

The feature works through written prompts, similar to last year’s AI playlist debut, but now supports far longer and more specific instructions. Spotify said the expanded capability is powered by underlying AI that incorporates broader world knowledge, enabling more nuanced commands.

The tool also adds two elements not present in other AI-driven playlists: the option to reach deeper into a user’s historical listening data and the ability to schedule how frequently the playlist refreshes.

Spotify provided several examples of how the feature can be used. A listener could request “music from my top artists from the last five years,” and then refine it by asking for “deep cuts I haven’t heard yet”.

More complex prompts—such as “high-energy pop and hip-hop for a 30-minute 5K run that keeps a steady pace before easing into relaxing songs for a cool-down” or “music from this year’s biggest films and most-talked-about TV shows that match my taste”—are also supported.

Users can continue to fine-tune prompts and select refresh intervals, such as daily or weekly. The goal, Spotify said, is to let individuals build their own tailored versions of playlists like Discover Weekly or genre-driven Daily Mixes, but with their own parameters.

Each playlist will include descriptions and context explaining why specific tracks were selected. Spotify will also supply starter prompts to help new users explore the tool.