The increasing use of artificial intelligence (AI) in digital platforms has transformed how personalized user experiences are delivered, particularly in music streaming services. This study examines the effect of AI-driven personalization on user retention, with emotional attachment as a mediating variable, within the context of Spotify users in Palembang city, Indonesia. Using a quantitative approach, data were collected through a survey of 110 Spotify users in Palembang city and analyzed using Structural Equation Modeling–Partial Least Squares (SEM-PLS). The results indicate that AI-driven personalization has a strong and significant effect on emotional attachment, while emotional attachment significantly influences user retention. Although AI-driven personalization also has a direct effect on user retention, the effect is relatively weaker. Furthermore, emotional attachment is found to partially mediate the relationship between AI-driven personalization and user retention. These findings confirm that emotional attachment plays a central role in translating AI-driven personalized experiences into sustained user behavior. This study contributes to the literature by extending the Stimulus–Organism–Response framework in the context of AI-based digital services and offers practical insights for streaming platforms to enhance user retention through emotionally driven personalization strategies.