Spotify under fire for One Direction remarks made by AI Wrapped podcast: 'This is so distasteful'

LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA: Spotify has come under fire after fans noted the tastelessness of an AI-generated Wrapped podcast. 

Recently, the AI-generated Wrapped podcast took the Internet by storm when it discussed the spike in streaming of One Direction songs in the wake of Liam Payne’s tragic death in October. 

The music streaming giant launched the AI-powered podcast where the fans can learn more about their listening habits discussed by two AI-generated voices. A recent clip that went viral on TikTok has brought attention back to the limitations of AI as fans complained about the lack of empathy in artificial intelligence.

Spotify’s AI-powered Wrapped podcast discussed One Direction

In the widely shared clip on TikTok, the two AI voices discuss a user’s listening habits in which the British boyband emerged as a top performer. 

One of the AI voices says, “It’s so cool you know, One Direction are classics,” when another adds. “And you even had a seven-day listening streak.”

The first voice responds, “Seven days straight? That’s some serious dedication.”

At that time, the second voice adds, “I wonder if that coincided with the release of something, maybe a new album or a reunion. It would be really awesome if that happened. It would be a great thing.”

The AI speculated, “Maybe there was a One Direction marathon happening?” before adding, “Maybe you just really love One Direction and just listen to them all the time.”

It concluded by saying, “It’s a great choice but awesome.”

The TikTok user, who captured the moment, was left befuddled with the exchange as they uploaded the video online, writing, “I don’t think that’s what it coincided with tbh.”

Nevertheless, netizens did not like how the conversation progressed and took to social media to air their grievances. 

The British boyband One Direction was formed in 2010 after the team members Zayn Malik, Louis Tomlinson, Liam Payne, Niall Horan, and Harry Styles joined the reality show ‘The X Factor’. 

However, after a dream run of more than five years, the band went into an indefinite hiatus in August 2015, after Zayn Malik left the band in early 2015. 

Almost a decade later, One Direction fans were shocked when beloved band member Liam Payne suffered a fatal fall from his fourth-floor hotel balcony in Argentina. He was 31. 

Internet slams Spotify for 'distasteful' AI podcast

The internet was left supremely disgruntled with Spotify as they declared that AI simply can't "read the room."

One of the social media users said, "Oh my god, the AI “podcast” that spotify released with wrapped is asking people who listened to a lot of one direction in october (FOR OBVIOUS REASONS) if they were feeling “nostalgic” or speculated about a reunion???? f**king insane."

Another One Directioner wrote, "I listened to the Spotify wrapped ai podcast and they go, “Was there something going on in October that brought back those one direction memories?” 😭😭😭"

"My Spotify Wrapped AI podcast really said “October throws us a curveball here-- One Direction with 197 plays. Wow a true throwback. I wonder what sparked that?” 🥲😭🥲😭🥲😭🥲😭 plssssss," complained someone else.

One TikTok user slammed AI, stating, “This is so distasteful oh my god.”

Someone else criticized the lack of empathy, saying, “Wow, you’d think AI would know with the amount of coverage on the internet, how’d it miss that reason!”

Another disgruntled user added, “My most music listened to day happened to be 11th September, and the hosts were like ‘that day sounds familiar…’ I was like 😳 then they continued ‘yeah! FKA Twigs dropped a new track that day!'”

Someone else noted, “No they did this to me too and it just kept going with me close to tears.”

"Why were they just rubbing it in your face!??😭😭," mourned someone else. 

Another fan simply reasoned, "We’ve really learned that AI cannot “read the room” LMAO."

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