Spotify's AI remix feature is tipped for February, but could cost you extra

Expect more AI in Spotify next year (Image credit: Shutterstock / Taner Muhlis Karaguzel) Spotify's AI remixing tool is tipped to arrive early in 2027Premium users may have to pay $4–$5 extra for itReaction from potential users has been lukewarmBack in August, Spotify announced plans to introduce new AI-powered features to let users create custom covers and remixes of their songs, and a new rumor suggests the feature may arrive in February — at the cost of a $4–$5 surcharge on top of existing Premium subscriptions.That's according to the Financial Times (via Android Authority), which reports that "people familiar" with the plans reckon a launch could be scheduled to coincide with the Grammys — the music awards show is on Sunday, February 7 — or could happen on some other date within the first quarter of 2027.Spotify is apparently still trying to get artists and labels to embrace the technology, which would (for example) let you turn a dance track in your library into a country ballad, or have one of your favorite artists cover a song recorded by a different singer or band.It's worth bearing in mind that these details are still to be confirmed, as, per the FT, the timing and pricing have not been finalized, though we know from what Spotify has already said that it's keen to push this new feature out.Winning over artists and fansSpotify aims to launch AI music remix service early next year from r/indieheadsThe plan seems to be to reward artists who let Spotify use their music for AI purposes, and one analyst quoted by the FT estimates that 7–8% of US Premium subscribers (of whom there are thought to be around 75 million) would pay the extra few dollars for the feature."Winning over major contemporary stars has proved more challenging than securing participation from some established older artists," says the FT — with Olivia Rodrigo mentioned as one of the artists who have previously taken a public anti-AI stance.If the Reddit boards are any indication of feeling, there's not much of an appetite for these new AI tools among users either. One thread responding to the FT report is filled with negative comments and recommendations for alternative music streaming services.Sign up for breaking news, reviews, opinion, top tech deals, and more."Who wants this?" is indicative of the comments, while the words "gross" and "horrible" are also thrown around. Spotify doesn't, of course, have to convince all of its users to adopt the AI add-on to make it profitable; but as this report suggests, getting artists on board might be the bigger issue. Follow TechRadar on Google News and add us as a preferred source to get our expert news, reviews, and opinion in your feeds. Dave is a freelance tech journalist who has been writing about gadgets, apps and the web for more than two decades. Based out of Stockport, England, on TechRadar you'll find him covering news, features and reviews, particularly for phones, tablets and wearables. Working to ensure our breaking news coverage is the best in the business over weekends, David also has bylines at Gizmodo, T3, PopSci and a few other places besides, as well as being many years editing the likes of PC Explorer and The Hardware Handbook.