Amazon Music has launched "Topics," a new AI-driven feature designed to facilitate the discovery of related podcasts based on the themes discussed in specific episodes. This tool, initially available to users in the U.S. with the latest version of the mobile app on iOS and Android, analyzes podcast transcriptions and descriptions to identify key topics. With human review, it generates topic tags displayed under each episode's description.
Clicking on these tags presents a list of related episodes, allowing listeners to explore additional content on their topics of interest. For example, Amazon shared a screenshot of an episode from the podcast "Stuff You Should Know" about caffeine, where tags like "Caffeine," "Coffee," and "Dopamine" were added under the episode's description.
Currently, the feature is being rolled out to the most popular podcasts, with future expansion plans. This initiative appears to be a strategic move by Amazon Music to compete with Spotify, which has also adopted AI to improve podcast recommendations.
How to Access Topics
- Download the latest version of the Amazon Music mobile app on iOS or Android.
- Open the app and select the Podcasts tab at the top of the home screen.
- Choose a popular podcast like The Daily, SmartLess, or This American Life.
- Select a specific episode.
- Look for the Topics tag buttons below the episode description.
- Click on a Topics tag to explore a list of related podcast episodes on the same topic.
The introduction of Topics not only enhances user experience by making related content more accessible but also demonstrates Amazon Music's commitment to innovation and continuous improvement. As more podcasts are integrated into this feature, the quality and relevance of the suggested episodes will keep improving, providing users with a unique and efficient way to explore new content based on their specific interests. Topics represents a significant advancement in how listeners discover and enjoy podcasts, reinforcing Amazon Music's position in the competitive audio streaming market.
