Spotify announced on Thursday the launch of an AI-powered audiobook creation tool integrated into its “Spotify for Authors” platform. Developed in collaboration with ElevenLabs, the beta feature is scheduled to roll out this June on an invite-only basis, initially supporting English-language content. This move complements the company’s existing suite of AI-driven podcasting tools, further solidifying its push into automated audio production.
Non-Exclusive Publishing and Strategic Partnerships
Crucially, authors utilizing this AI-generation tool will not be bound by exclusive contracts, granting them the freedom to distribute their audiobooks across any platform. This initiative expands upon the existing partnership between Spotify and ElevenLabs, which previously allowed creators to upload audiobooks produced via the startup’s technology directly to the streaming service.
While the platform has maintained a long-standing partnership with Google Play Books to support digitally narrated content, the integration of ElevenLabs suggests a strategic shift toward more expressive, human-like voice models. This follows ElevenLabs’ own 2025 launch of a self-publishing platform designed specifically for authors.
Global Expansion and Platform Growth
Beyond the new creation tool, Spotify is scaling its “Spotify for Authors” platform to support 10 additional languages, including French, Canadian French, German, Dutch, Latin American Spanish, Swedish, Finnish, Icelandic, Danish, and Norwegian. The company also intends to broaden its Audiobook+ plans later this year, introducing new tiers for families and students, though specific pricing and usage details remain undisclosed.
The platform’s investment in the sector is yielding tangible results, with over one million Audiobook+ subscriptions to date. The segment is currently on track to generate $100 million in annualized recurring revenue.
AI-Driven Discovery and Catalog Growth
To improve user experience, Spotify introduced a natural language search feature for audiobook discovery. Additionally, by this summer, the company will expand its prompt-based playlist feature—currently used for music and podcasts—to include audiobook recommendations.
Spotify has aggressively expanded its audiobook catalog, which now features 700,000 titles. Recent strategic efforts include international market entry, investment in non-English content, in-app purchase capabilities, and the launch of audiobook charts. Furthermore, the company recently initiated a program allowing authors to sell physical books in the U.S. and the U.K.
These efforts appear to be paying off, as the company reports a 60% year-on-year increase in listening hours. Notably, more than half of Spotify’s current audiobook user base began engaging with the category within the last year.
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