Lenny's Podcast: Product | Growth | Career

Lessons from scaling Spotify: The science of product, taking risky bets, and how AI is already impacting the future of music | Gustav Söderström (Co-President, CPO, and CTO at Spotify)

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May 21, 2023

Gustav Söderström, the Co-President and Chief Product Officer at Spotify, shares insights from his impressive career, including building innovative products and navigating challenges. He discusses Spotify's structural evolution for product development and how AI is transforming the music landscape. Gustav highlights the delicate balance between user feedback and innovation during the redesign of Spotify's feed. He also explores the impact of AI-generated music on artists and muses about the future of podcasting at Spotify.

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ANECDOTE

Internet Evolution

Gustav Söderström discusses the internet's evolution from curation to recommendation to generation.
This evolution requires rethinking user experience and business models.

ADVICE

Fault-Tolerant UI

Design fault-tolerant user interfaces that accommodate machine learning's imperfections.
Provide escape hatches for users when AI predictions are wrong.

ADVICE

Prioritize Core UX

When designing AI-powered products, prioritize the core user experience.
The Spotify AI DJ focuses on getting users to music quickly.

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