Google Cloud and Spotify Leverage LLMs to Enhance Audio Content Curation and Safety 

SUNNYVALE, Calif. and STOCKHOLM, Nov. 16, 2023 -- Google Cloud and Spotify today announced an expanded strategic partnership to amplify their expertise in infrastructure, data and analytics, and AI/ML technologies. Google Cloud has been Spotify's preferred cloud provider since 2016, and today the platform serves more than 574 million monthly active users.

This new chapter will see Spotify exploring using Google Cloud's AI tools to improve critical aspects of the Spotify platform, including:

• Content discovery: Spotify is exploring large language models (LLMs) to better understand the breadth of its content library and augment the metadata used to present this content to users every day.
• Personalized recommendations: Spotify is also looking into ways to enhance the listening experience by using LLMs to understand the patterns behind users' favorite spoken content, such as podcasts and audiobooks, to present new and interesting recommendations.
• Safe listening: Spotify is also exploring the use of LLMs to provide a safer listening experience  and identify potentially harmful content.

Spotify has long understood the potential of AI and has been investing in the technology for years, including its homegrown ML Platform on Google Cloud. Machine learning is the foundation for its ability to deliver personalized recommendations through bespoke playlists for listeners.

"We're excited to continue building on the strong and trusted foundation we have established with Google Cloud," said Gustav Söderström - Co-President, CPO & CTO, Spotify. "The evolution of our technology has been matched by Google Cloud's commitment to building the best possible platform for our products to run on and driving further innovation with the emerging capabilities of generative AI."

"Through this expanded partnership, Google Cloud's AI tools are helping Spotify to elevate the listening experience for its customers," said Thomas Kurian, CEO of Google Cloud. "Spotify also recognizes the potential AI can have across their business, and together, we will continue to deliver innovative technologies that benefit their business."

In addition to the potential of AI/LLMs, Spotify and Google Cloud are continuing to deepen their strong engineering to engineering collaboration to scale and grow Spotify's core features and backend platform. Spotify is also continuing to leverage Google Cloud's data capabilities that have driven a wide array of successful campaigns and provide creators with valuable insights and analytics to help them succeed on the platform.

"The collaboration and co-innovation between Spotify and Google Cloud pushes the boundaries of what both platforms can do," said Tyson Singer, Vice President, Technology and Platform, Spotify.  "The sheer scale at which we are able to run backend services and process data, in addition to the cost savings we have been able to achieve are crucial to the success of our business."

Beyond being an audio streaming company, Spotify is well known in the developer community as the author of Backstage, an open source framework for building developer portals used by over 2,000 companies worldwide.  Backstage removes everyday complexities developers face and Spotify is exploring using Google Cloud's AI capabilities to further simplify actions that slow developers down, allowing them to focus on more important tasks like building great code.

To learn more about Google Cloud's Executive's Guide to AI, click here.

About Google Cloud

Google Cloud accelerates every organization's ability to digitally transform its business and industry. We deliver enterprise-grade solutions that leverage Google's cutting-edge technology, and tools that help developers build more sustainably. Customers in more than 200 countries and territories turn to Google Cloud as their trusted partner to enable growth and solve their most critical business problems.

Source: Google Cloud