Seventeen years after its founding and 600 million users later, audio streaming platform Spotify is embracing the challenge posed by a phalanx of music streaming platforms seeking to take a piece of the Sweden-based company’s success.
“Everybody loves this idea of Spotify versus another company and it makes for an interesting story,” said Dustee Jenkins, Spotify’s chief public affairs officer.
“But really, creators everywhere benefit when there’s a lot of competition. Why? Because it gets more people streaming,” Ms Jenkins told The National at the 2024 World Governments Summit in Dubai.
There is indeed a lot of music streaming competition out there. Apple, Amazon, YouTube and Tidal are a few of many companies seeking to capture monthly streaming fees from customers who want instant access to music and other audio content.
Ms Jenkins, however, pointed out that it is the single app-centric approach that differentiates Spotify from its competitors.
“There are some companies that look to have different apps for different use cases, but we don’t want to confuse our listeners,” she said.
That approach, she stressed, made it possible for Spotify to add more content and more value on to the app in a seamless manner that benefits both users and creators.
Spotify had a presence at this year’s World Governments Summit, featuring more than 4,000 delegates from the public and private sectors, including 200 speakers from 80 international, regional and intergovernmental organisations such as the UN, the World Bank, the International Monetary Fund, the World Health Organisation, the International Atomic Energy Agency and the Arab League.
The promise and potential problems posed by artificial intelligence reverberated throughout the summit.
“Rather than dictating things by algorithms, what we seek to do is couple humans with algorithms to get the best end result,” Ms Jenkins told the panel focusing on how governments can harness talents and cultural identity.
“In this region [Middle East and North Africa], we have individuals who go all around and they're listening to talent … going to local music establishments and schools and universities, and they make sure that talent gets the opportunity to be playlisted.”
AI has proven to be a potential game-changer for musicians and streaming services, but it is also not without ample concern that it could fuel content theft from creators, potentially creating an economic content creation chasm.
Spotify already has precautionary measures in place to protect musicians and content creators, Ms Jenkins told The National.
“You can't pretend to be someone you're not,” she said, referring to the plethora of AI tools making it possible to duplicate voices.
“We're focusing on enforcing the rules we have in place around copyright.”
Spotify, Ms Jenkins said, has long made it a point to use AI in areas that enable and help the creator, and that the company used AI for various tools that help users discover content and remind those same users of the content they enjoyed in the past.
“I think this debate will continue across the industry in terms of how far is too far,” she said, referring to the seemingly endless discussions about AI ethics.
“The reality is, a lot of our creators are using AI tools to help with their creative process, whether it's helping to fill a lyric, or getting inspired by other instruments,” she added.
“We're not going to say to a creator that they should or shouldn't use AI, the creator can make that decision on their own.”
Ms Jenkins said DJ, a personalised AI guide that seeks to learn user music tastes and deliver a curated line-up of music, was an example of the company's efforts to use AI to enhance the listening experience.
“It’s essentially AI based on an individual who works at Spotify, and that individual helps you discover content,” she said.
What's next for Spotify?
While music put Spotify on the map, in recent years the company has put a lot of resources behind the podcasting boom, forming partnerships in the Middle East and hosting events bringing together prominent podcasters.
Those efforts to bolster the podcast boom show no sign of slowing down, and Ms Jenkins said the company was also excited about its recent entry into the audiobooks sector.
“This is a space that's largely been held by one company,” she said, referring to Amazon's Audible.
Ms Jenkins, however, noted that a lot of Spotify's success revolved around remembering the company's roots.
“We're always in the realm of audio, and that's the core of what we do,” she said.
“It was music first, then we added podcasts, and now we're off to audiobooks, so we'll see what comes next.”
At the heart of Spotify's efforts is continuing to make sure that the right creator finds the right listener, Ms Jenkins said.
She also reflected on Spotify's decision five years ago to establish a physical presence in Dubai.
“It's incredibly important to us,” she said. “We've seen an explosion of content and talent from the region.”
Results
1.30pm Handicap (PA) Dh50,000 (Dirt) 1,400m
Winner Al Suhooj, Saif Al Balushi (jockey), Khalifa Al Neyadi (trainer)
2pm Handicap (TB) 68,000 (D) 1,950m
Winner Miracle Maker, Xavier Ziani, Salem bin Ghadayer
2.30pm Maiden (TB) Dh60,000 (D) 1,600m
Winner Mazagran, Tadhg O’Shea, Satish Seemar
3pm Handicap (TB) Dh84,000 (D) 1,800m
Winner Tailor’s Row, Royston Ffrench, Salem bin Ghadayer
3.30pm Handicap (TB) Dh76,000 (D) 1,400m
Winner Alla Mahlak, Adrie de Vries, Rashed Bouresly
4pm Maiden (TB) Dh60,000 (D) 1,200m
Winner Hurry Up, Royston Ffrench, Salem bin Ghadayer
4.30pm Handicap (TB) Dh68,000 (D) 1,200m
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
More on Yemen's civil war
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Tonight's Chat on The National
Tonight's Chat is a series of online conversations on The National. The series features a diverse range of celebrities, politicians and business leaders from around the Arab world.
Tonight’s Chat host Ricardo Karam is a renowned author and broadcaster who has previously interviewed Bill Gates, Carlos Ghosn, Andre Agassi and the late Zaha Hadid, among others.
Intellectually curious and thought-provoking, Tonight’s Chat moves the conversation forward.
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'Operation Mincemeat'
Director: John Madden
Cast: Colin Firth, Matthew Macfayden, Kelly Macdonald and Penelope Wilton
Rating: 4/5
COMPANY PROFILE
Name: Lamsa
Founder: Badr Ward
Launched: 2014
Employees: 60
Based: Abu Dhabi
Sector: EdTech
Funding to date: $15 million
Day 5, Abu Dhabi Test: At a glance
Moment of the day When Dilruwan Perera dismissed Yasir Shah to end Pakistan’s limp resistance, the Sri Lankans charged around the field with the fevered delirium of a side not used to winning. Trouble was, they had not. The delivery was deemed a no ball. Sri Lanka had a nervy wait, but it was merely a stay of execution for the beleaguered hosts.
Stat of the day – 5 Pakistan have lost all 10 wickets on the fifth day of a Test five times since the start of 2016. It is an alarming departure for a side who had apparently erased regular collapses from their resume. “The only thing I can say, it’s not a mitigating excuse at all, but that’s a young batting line up, obviously trying to find their way,” said Mickey Arthur, Pakistan’s coach.
The verdict Test matches in the UAE are known for speeding up on the last two days, but this was extreme. The first two innings of this Test took 11 sessions to complete. The remaining two were done in less than four. The nature of Pakistan’s capitulation at the end showed just how difficult the transition is going to be in the post Misbah-ul-Haq era.
In numbers: PKK’s money network in Europe
Germany: PKK collectors typically bring in $18 million in cash a year – amount has trebled since 2010
Revolutionary tax: Investigators say about $2 million a year raised from ‘tax collection’ around Marseille
Extortion: Gunman convicted in 2023 of demanding $10,000 from Kurdish businessman in Stockholm
Drug trade: PKK income claimed by Turkish anti-drugs force in 2024 to be as high as $500 million a year
Denmark: PKK one of two terrorist groups along with Iranian separatists ASMLA to raise “two-digit million amounts”
Contributions: Hundreds of euros expected from typical Kurdish families and thousands from business owners
TV channel: Kurdish Roj TV accounts frozen and went bankrupt after Denmark fined it more than $1 million over PKK links in 2013
The specs
Engine: 6.2-litre V8
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Power: 420bhp
Torque: 624Nm
Price: Dh325,125
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The Perfect Couple
Starring: Nicole Kidman, Liev Schreiber, Jack Reynor
Creator: Jenna Lamia
Rating: 3/5
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Labour dispute
The insured employee may still file an ILOE claim even if a labour dispute is ongoing post termination, but the insurer may suspend or reject payment, until the courts resolve the dispute, especially if the reason for termination is contested. The outcome of the labour court proceedings can directly affect eligibility.
- Abdullah Ishnaneh, Partner, BSA Law
What vitamins do we know are beneficial for living in the UAE
Vitamin D: Highly relevant in the UAE due to limited sun exposure; supports bone health, immunity and mood.
Vitamin B12: Important for nerve health and energy production, especially for vegetarians, vegans and individuals with absorption issues.
Iron: Useful only when deficiency or anaemia is confirmed; helps reduce fatigue and support immunity.
Omega-3 (EPA/DHA): Supports heart health and reduces inflammation, especially for those who consume little fish.
How to vote in the UAE
1) Download your ballot https://www.fvap.gov/
2) Take it to the US Embassy
3) Deadline is October 15
4) The embassy will ensure all ballots reach the US in time for the November 3 poll
UPI facts
More than 2.2 million Indian tourists arrived in UAE in 2023
More than 3.5 million Indians reside in UAE
Indian tourists can make purchases in UAE using rupee accounts in India through QR-code-based UPI real-time payment systems
Indian residents in UAE can use their non-resident NRO and NRE accounts held in Indian banks linked to a UAE mobile number for UPI transactions
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Petrarch: Everywhere a Wanderer
Christopher Celenza,
Reaktion Books