Plexamp, the native music player of media company Plex, is introducing a new feature called “Sonic Sage” with their latest update. This feature is powered by OpenAI’s ChatGPT, and it builds individualized playlists for users after scanning their music library and tapping into their TIDAL subscription.
This newest update is part of further attempts to employ artificial intelligence (AI) to choose your music. Spotify recently launched an AI disc jockey to give and pick out music for members of their streaming service and external applications, like Petey, are now utilizing ChatGPT to create playlists for Apple Music.
At the moment, Plex is taking advantage of this function for a subsidiary music player project, not the primary media player app.
Launched in 2017 by Plex Labs, Plexamp was developed as a modern interpretation of the popular Winamp app and featured visualizations to add to the listening experience. After being released on desktop, the program became available on iOS and Android devices and was modified to be exclusively available for subscribers.
In addition to being a platform for audiophiles to appreciate musical art, Plex has also used the app as a means to test various technologies. For example, in 2021, the app was updated with a “Super Sonic” highlighting which sources similar songs based on audio qualities instead of just tagging info.
Plexamp will now include compatibility with ChatGPT, according to the company.
Sonic Sage, the new feature, allows users to generate playlists of their choice by speaking phrases in normal language. For example, the company encourages to search for things such as “soothing love songs from metal bands”, “high-spirited electronic tunes from The Chainsmokers and other two-person DJs”,”psychedelic rock from Pink Floyd”, and “groovy tunes from ladies in the 70s “.
Anyone wanting to make use of the Sonic Sage option must be signed up for both Plex Pass and paid subscription for TIDAL music streaming services. They must also generate an OpenAI account and type in the API in the Plexamp settings as well. There is also the added possibility to set it to only play music from your own collection through a setting close to the API key.
On top of the AI-based feature, the app also has plenty of other means for music discovery, including various DJ modes, artificial intelligence-assisted “sonic exploration,” “mood-based radio stations,” and time-travelling back to listen to classic songs.
Plexamp is now compatible with many platforms including iOS, Android, Mac, Windows, Linux and Headless, the company has indicated.
