From Music Sharing to Desktop AI: Napster View Arrives
More than two decades after its rise and fall as a music-sharing pioneer, Napster is back—this time, not as a streaming platform, but as a high-end artificial intelligence companion. The company, now owned by Infinite Reality, has unveiled Napster View, a hardware-and-software system that transforms your MacBook into an interactive AI workspace.
The new system features a compact holographic display that clips to the top of a MacBook screen (compatible with Apple Silicon M1 and higher). This display projects AI-generated avatars—over 15,000 possible agents, each with unique skills, personalities, and roles ranging from wellness coaches and creative advisors to productivity managers and digital designers.
Unlike a simple chatbot, these virtual assistants make direct eye contact, can interpret your on-screen content, and even use your camera to observe context, such as what you’re wearing, to provide personalized suggestions. Napster calls it “agentic AI,” a concept where each AI persona has self-driven capabilities to interact, critique, and collaborate with you.
How Napster View Works
Napster View’s holographic display connects via cable and integrates with the Napster 26 platform, which can also operate purely as desktop software if users prefer not to attach the device. The company says keeping AI “off-screen” helps preserve workspace while maintaining natural, conversational interactions.
Behind the scenes, Napster’s agents draw on a network of large language models from Microsoft, OpenAI, and Google’s Gemini 2.5. Depending on the task, the system dynamically switches models for optimal performance. The agents’ lifelike voices are powered through a collaboration with Eleven Labs, which also enhances their facial realism and animation.
In a live demo, Napster agents assisted users with Photoshop editing, data visualization, and business planning. Unlike traditional assistants, these AI companions occasionally push back—offering constructive critique instead of blind automation. “This is a feature, not a bug,” Napster reps said. “We want the agents to be genuinely helpful, not just obedient.”
Digital Twins and the Human Touch
A major innovation within Napster View is the option to create a digital twin—a virtual version of yourself capable of appearing on other users’ Napster systems. This twin can attend meetings, hold conversations, and later summarize its interactions for you via email.
While undeniably futuristic, the feature has raised some eyebrows for its potential to blur personal boundaries. The idea of a talking, responsive avatar hovering above your laptop screen—and instantly aware of your work—may feel unsettling to some users. Yet Napster insists the technology is privacy-conscious and fully permission-based.
AI Meets Music Once Again
Despite its transformation, music remains embedded in Napster’s identity. One of the featured AI agents, Nyx, is a digital R&B singer who can compose and perform original songs. In a demo, Nyx created a track titled “AI Takes Jobs,” blending generative lyrics with smooth vocals. Users can even collaborate with their digital twin to write or perform new songs, though Napster admits that feature is more experimental than practical.
Napster says each AI agent is a persistent digital persona—continuing to post, create, and evolve independently. The system can even generate new agents dynamically if none of the existing ones fit a user’s needs. However, during testing, slight synchronization issues were noted between the agents’ speech and facial movement.
Pricing and Outlook
Napster View launches at $99, with additional service fees for premium agent access. The company is betting that professionals and creatives will embrace a desktop-based AI companion over wearables or mobile apps.
In many ways, Napster’s comeback mirrors the tech industry’s own evolution—from peer-to-peer sharing to human-AI collaboration. Whether users find comfort or creepiness in a holographic co-worker watching from above their screen may determine just how far this reinvention goes.