Spotify bets on taste as differentiator in the AI era

Spotify believes it will become much more profitable over the next four years by leveraging AI to build a "large taste model" that supports interactive sharing over passive listening. Why it matters: The streamer spent the past four years proving it could turn its popularity into a meaningful business . Now, it wants to show Wall Street it can sustain and build on that momentum in the agentic era. Driving the news: Leaning into taste as a strategic differentiator will help the streaming giant create a stickier audio ecosystem and strike more partnerships that serve fans, executives told investors at an event in New York City on Thursday. The company unveiled a new "Reserved" ticketing service, in partnership with Live Nation, that sets aside concert tickets for premium subscribers. It also announced a landmark deal with Universal Music Group to create a new tool that allows fans to create covers and remixes of their favorite songs by participating artists and songwriters. This summer,