Do we really need AI art on our playlists?
Apple Music users might soon be able to make AI-generated artwork for their playlists. This new feature builds on the static artwork library added in iOS 17.1, offering a new way to customize playlists.
But, given the anger over AI art, Apple’s move into this area raises questions about who exactly will use it and why.
How Apple Music’s New AI Artwork Feature Works
Apple is reportedly working on a new feature for Apple Music that will let users create custom playlist artwork using AI.
This was found in the iOS 18 beta 4 code, which showed plans for a “Create Image” button when editing playlists. Clicking this button will open ‘Image Playground’, which is part of Apple’s new AI project called Apple Intelligence.
Image Playground, first shown at WWDC 2024, lets users make images by typing commands. For Apple Music, this means users can describe the playlist artwork they want, and the AI will give them several options to use as the cover.
The AI can make images in different styles, including moving pictures, drawings, and sketches.
This feature isn’t just about making our playlists look nice. It’s about giving us more control over how we show our carefully chosen music collections.
Limitations and Uncertainties
While AI-generated artwork sounds exciting, it has some limits.
The biggest one is that Image Playground can’t make photorealistic images. So, if you’re hoping to generate artwork featuring your favorite artists or album cover-style photographs, this might be a letdown.
Aside from this, it also remains unclear if the AI will make artwork based on the songs in the playlist or just on what the user types. And, it’s not yet clear whether users can type anything they want or if Apple will set rules to stop inappropriate content.
A Feature Without a Clear Audience
The introduction of AI-generated playlist artwork raises questions about who exactly this feature is for and whether it’s necessary in the current climate.
As the debate around AI-generated art intensifies, Apple’s decision to add this feature might face criticism from different groups.
For instance, many artists are already worried about how AI art generators affect their jobs and the originality of their work. By adding AI-generated artwork to Apple Music, Apple risks alienating this creative community.
On the user side, it’s unclear whether there’s a significant demand for such a feature.
Many music fans already like the art on album covers and might prefer to use existing artwork or their own photos for playlists. So, there are questions on how this new feature might change the artistic quality of playlist artwork.
While it offers new creative options, it could make the visual side of music collections look too similar or less special.
Lastly, this feature might be seen as a solution in search of a problem.
Apple Music already offers a library of artwork and lets users use their own photos, so adding AI-generated images might seem unnecessary to many users. It could look like Apple is just jumping on the AI trend without really making the music listening experience better.
When We Can Expect It
Even though it’s in the iOS 18 beta 4 code, the AI-generated playlist artwork feature is still being worked on and isn’t available to beta users yet.
Apple first said some Apple Intelligence features would be ready in beta this summer, but they’ve since removed those mentions from their website.
Sure, iOS 18 is expected to be released this fall, with a beta preview currently available for developers and public beta users. However, recent reports say many of Apple’s new AI features, including this one, might not arrive until 2025.
Given that the feature isn’t in the current beta and it’s complicated to set up AI systems, it seems more likely that Apple will wait to release it with iOS 18.1 or even later.