Apple Music in iOS 24.6 adds AI playlists and live event discovery

Apple has launched its first beta of iOS 24.6, and with it, is bringing two significant upgrades to Apple Music. The first is an AI playlist generation tool called ‘Playlist Playground’. This works similarly to installments from other music streaming services, including Spotify, Apple Music, and Deezer, using text prompts or Apple Music’s pre-set ideas to create tailored playlists. Once submitted, the feature utilizes AI (likely Apple Intelligence) to generate a playlist with a customized name, comprising 25 songs.

Handily, your text prompts can be as specific as you like. For example, you can ask it to create genre-specific playlists based on a desired atmosphere, such as a morning forest walk. Alternatively, it can gather songs from a specific era, such as the 1950s or the noughties. The feature can reportedly build a playlist from a pool of at least 10 different songs. You can change your prompt, edit the title, and add or remove songs manually before finalizing it. Those with access to the iOS 24.6 beta can test Playlist Playground by navigating to the Apple Music app and tapping the new ‘+’ button in your Library. Beta testers have confirmed that you do not require an Apple Intelligence mobile device to create AI playlists in Apple Music. However, a full feature launch isn’t expected until Spring 2026.

The second feature Apple Music is rolling out is live event discovery. Spotify has enjoyed this functionality for years, so it’s only right that Apple catches up. MacWorld reports that installing the iOS 24.6 beta unlocks a pop-up when you open Apple Music, displaying upcoming live events directly in the app. However, there has been no official confirmation regarding how the feature will work within Apple Music. Still, it could perform similarly to Shazam’s gig discovery tool. This allows users to view and save upcoming performances, providing ticket details and tour date reminders.

iOS 24.6 is also bringing a smaller, less meaningful cosmetic upgrade. This follows a major redesign introduced with iOS 26 last year. Essentially, when viewing albums or playlists, the background will match the color of the artwork, replacing the current solid white color scheme. This will make the user interface more interactive, depending on what you’re listening to.