Newly discovered code has revealed the existence of an interesting Apple Intelligence feature that looks set to come to the Apple Music app in iOS 18: AI-generated playlist artwork.

The code was noted by 9to5Mac, and indicates that when you're creating or editing a playlist there will be a new “create image” button. Tapping that will bring up the previously announced Image Playground, Apple's prompt-based image generator.

That's as much detail as we have right now, because none of the Apple Intelligence features are yet available to beta testers. But based on what we've seen from Image Playground so far we can make some informed guesses about what the new feature will do.

What Apple Music's AI art won't do

One thing we do know about the Image Playground is that it doesn't enable you to create photo-realistic images. And given the deep pockets and highly litigious nature of record companies, that's unlikely to change. So don't expect the ability to create a mashup of the Nirvana Nevermind cover featuring Chappell Roan's fiercest face.

Image Playground is designed to create “fun, playful images,” Apple says, and the lack of photography means we could end up with AI playlist art that harks back to and combines lavish illustrations of the kind that used to grace LP covers: think Yoshimi Battles The Pink Robots, The Velvet Underground & Nico, Reign In Blood… 

It's not clear whether the feature will enable people to enter whatever prompt they want to Image Playground to create the artwork, or whether it'll generate something based on the songs – I strongly suspect the former. The TechRadar team is already making plans around elaborate ELO-style space art for electro-pop playlists and some kind of emo dog in a sketch style for indie playlists. I'm just dreading every playlist thumbnail looking like Charli XCX's Brat.

The new feature will hopefully be available in iOS 18 when it's released in the fall (probably September, alongside the iPhone 16), although it's currently unclear whether Apple Intelligence will arrive at the same time as the rest of the update or not. Apple Intelligence features look set to only launch on iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 15 Pro Max, as well as MacBooks and iPads with Apple Silicon chips, so that'll probably hold true for this feature as well. It's also unclear when Apple Intelligence will launch outside the US, with European countries definitely having to wait until 2025.