Summary

Spotify introduces "Hey, Spotify," a voice assistant feature designed to enhance user interaction with the music streaming service by allowing voice commands for playing music and controlling the app, while also addressing privacy concerns and the use of voice data.

Abstract

Spotify's new voice assistant, "Hey, Spotify," enables users to control their music experience hands-free, catering to moments of emotional significance, such as playing a breakup song without the need to manually navigate the app. This feature, which has been in development since at least March 2020 and is now being broadly rolled out, allows users to activate it by saying "Hey, Spotify" followed by a command. Spotify has provided clear guidelines on how voice data is collected, processed, and used, emphasizing user privacy and security. The company assures users that it does not record all conversations, only activating voice input upon user initiation or during voice-enabled ads. While the feature offers convenience and safety, especially for drivers, it also raises considerations about data privacy, as users must weigh the benefits against the comfort level of granting Spotify access to their voice data.

Opinions

The author suggests that the "Hey, Spotify" feature is particularly useful for playing music in various life situations, especially during emotionally charged times.
There is an acknowledgment that voice technology like Spotify's voice assistant is becoming increasingly integrated into our lives, similar to Siri or Alexa.
The article implies that users have already compromised a level of privacy by using similar services, and "Hey, Spotify" is another step in the evolution of technology that we have become accustomed to.
The author expresses excitement about the potential of voice technology, indicating that voice interactions are the future and that Spotify's investment in podcasts and voice features is a strategic move in this direction.
There is a personal sentiment that Spotify could become a source of comfort during difficult times, such as a breakup, by playing songs that resonate with the user's emotional state.

How Does Spotify Know You so Well? Meet Hey, Spotify Voice Assistant

Now you can cry while you tell Spotify to play your breakup song

Thank u, Next

Hey there, this is something you need to know, “Hey, Spotify” is your Siri or Alexa for music.

For me, music is the soundtrack of our lives. There will always be one song we would play in the good, the bad, and the ugly times of our lives.

What is the most common Spotify playlist? I would imagine the breakup playlist. We all have at least one breakup song, and on top of my Spotify playlist is Ariana Grande’s Thank u, Next.

Hey, Spotify

Spotify is releasing a voice assistant into its app; known tech blogger Jane Manchun Wong first posted an image on #Twitter last March 2020.

Today, Techcrunch reports that Hey, Spotify, the voice assistant feature of Spotify, is broadly being rolled out into more devices.

The notification message you will get will look like this;

“Just enable your mic and say ‘Hey Spotify, Play my Favorite Songs.”

When tapped, the notification launched Spotify’s new voice interface where users are pushed to first give the app permission to use the microphone to verbally request the music they want to hear. — Techcrunch on Hey, Spotify

But, “Hey, Spotify,” What Data Are You collecting?

Spotify’s policy on Hey, Spotify as a voice feature is outlined in this link: Voice on Spotify®.

Voice on Spotify®

Spotify can be controlled with your voice. By activating voice controls, you enable a variety of features, like finding songs and playlists using your voice and even interacting with some advertisements. Your privacy and security come first. Learn more below about how Spotify collects and processes your voice data.

What voice data does Spotify collect?

When you use voice features, your voice input and other information will be sent to Spotify. This includes audio recordings and transcripts of what you say and other related information such as the content that was returned to you by Spotify.

What does Spotify do with the voice data it collects?

Spotify uses this data to recognize what you say, to understand you better, and to help us provide a response or take action. Spotify may also use and share this data in other ways, which are described in our Privacy Policy. For example, using your data to improve voice functionality on Spotify, to develop new voice features, and to help us provide you with advertising that is more relevant to you. It also includes sharing information, from time to time, with our service providers, such as cloud storage providers, to help provide voice functionality for Spotify.

Is Spotify recording all of my conversations?

No. Spotify will begin receiving your voice input data when you press the action button or say the wake word or (for voice ads) when you hear an audible tone, and continue until Spotify has processed your question or request.

The device will always indicate to you when Spotify is receiving your voice input, for example, with a visual indicator or an audible tone.

When listening for the wake-word, Spotify listens in short snippets of a few seconds, which are deleted if the wake-word is not detected.

How do voice ads work?

You can interact with some of the advertisements on Spotify using your voice. During a voice-enabled ad, you will hear a voice prompt followed by an audible tone. For example, a voice-enabled ad for a new album might ask you to say “Play now” to hear that album. You can read more about voice ads and turn them on or off at any time in your Spotify settings.

For further information on Spotify’s privacy practices and on your rights and choices, please read our Privacy Policy.

How do I turn off voice controls and voice ads?

You can turn off Spotify’s access to your microphone on your device at any time using the operating system settings on the device or by muting the microphone on your device. You can also turn off voice ads at any time in your Spotify settings.

How Does Spotify Know You So Well?

While Hey, Spotify appears to be a great new Spotify feature, one of the uses I see as applicable is vehicle safety.

With a voice assistant, people who are driving need not go through the Spotify app itself but can play any music using voice commands and their voice to activate Hey, Spotify.

But we have to admit, in this case, that;

Talk ain’t cheap

Hey, Spotify comes with a price, a price that, as a consumer, one has to decide if you are comfortable giving another tech giant company more access to your data.

But personally, we had crossed the rubicon of privacy a long time ago. Remember that free isn’t really free, and if you are not paying for a service or a feature, you are the product or the commodity.

A lot of what is happening around us involves Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning.

The more we use services like Spotify, the more it knows about us. The songs we listen to and Spotify’s voice assistant will someday understand how we feel while listening to music.

This is how Spotify knows you so well. It learns from every song you play. And that is how the feature Discovery Weekly came to be. Spotify can curate the songs you are likely to listen to based on your music listening history.

Artificial Intelligence Creates Fake Faces, and They Are as Real as It Gets

The uncanny valley of AI love.

medium.com

Hey, Spotify is no different from Apple’s Siri or Amazon’s Alexa, they are tools that make our lives easier, and the future of technology is already here.

Thank u, Next

Voice is the next big thing. First, it was words through blogs, then videos from YouTube, and soon it will be speech, that is why Spotify is going big with podcasts, and Hey, Spotify is a step forward to making that happen.

But there is something else I am excited about Hey, Spotify.

Someday, Spotify will be the one who will talk to me after a breakup, and it will be Spotify that will play my breakup song.

Spotify will be that friend who will virtually hold my hand as I tell myself, Thank u, Next.