YouTube Music Tests Generative AI Feature For Custom Radio Stations

YouTube Music is currently testing an innovative generative AI feature that allows users to create custom radio stations by entering a prompt. Once this feature becomes available on your device, app, or account, you will see an “Ask for music any way you like” card appear in your Home feed. This new option complements the existing “Start radio” button.

The prompt card, designed in purple and pink, is reminiscent of the persistent “Create a radio: Your music tuner” card, which received a dedicated Library tab and a New FAB shortcut earlier this year. Activating this card opens a chat-based interface with a prompt field at the bottom, allowing users to request specific types of music. This launches a fullscreen UI with an “Experiment” badge in the top-right corner.

Users can also enter prompts via voice commands. YouTube Music (YTM) explains, “AI-generated responses are experimental. Quality and accuracy may vary. Please don’t enter confidential or personal information regarding yourself or others.” YTM provides a double-line carousel of suggested prompts, including "Catchy pop choruses," "Epic soundtracks," "Upbeat pop anthems," and "Moscow rock scene." There is also an option for "Surprise me!"

Once a prompt is entered, YouTube Music generates a radio station and uses the existing playlist card to display the result. The user’s prompt serves as the station name, labeled “Created for you,” and includes a brief description. For example, a prompt like "Queer Hip Hop Beats" generates a station described as “Rhymes and flows from the heart, a celebration of queer pride in hip hop’s art.” The interface then shows the first three songs with options to play/pause, save to your library, and access an overflow menu.

Currently, there is only one report of YouTube Music's AI radio creator being available, and it has not appeared on the devices checked today. Unfortunately, YouTube Music lacks a public testing platform like youtube.com/new, which could allow more users to experience this feature. It remains to be seen if a YouTube Premium subscription will be required to access the AI radio creator.