Spotify tests AI recaps for audiobooks to help you pick up where you left off

Spotify is testing an AI-powered feature that generates short recaps for audiobooks to summarize the story up to the point where a listener stopped. Recaps become available after about 15–20 minutes of listening and update as the listener progresses, providing a quick refresher without spoiling future plot points.

The feature is currently limited to Spotify’s iOS app and a select number of English-language titles. Spotify emphasized that it won’t train large language models on authors’ works or use narrators’ performances to build voice generation — the recaps are intended solely to help listeners resume their books more easily.

How the recaps work

• Recaps appear after a listener has reached roughly 15–20 minutes into an audiobook.
• Summaries reflect the listener’s current position and are updated as they continue listening.
• The recaps are designed to avoid spoilers beyond the listener’s stop point.

Why this could matter

Many audiobook listeners abandon or pause titles and later struggle to recall characters or plot details. Built-in recaps could reduce the friction of resuming long narrative works and improve completion rates. For commuters or busy listeners, a concise refresher may make it easier to pick up where they left off without restarting the book.

Limitations and privacy notes

• Availability is limited in the test phase (iOS, select English titles) and will expand only if Spotify decides to roll it out more broadly.
• Spotify says it will not train LLMs on authors’ content or develop narrator voice generation from audiobook performances, addressing some creator and rights concerns.

We’ll watch for wider rollout details and whether Spotify brings recaps to Android and more languages. For now, listeners on iOS with participating audiobooks can try the feature and see if it helps them return to long or paused titles.

More info: Spotify (official) · Engadget coverage.

Discussion: Would you use AI recaps to resume audiobooks, or do you prefer to restart from the beginning to refresh memory? What limits or safeguards would make you comfortable with this feature?