Artifact News App by Instagram Co-founders Still Running Despite Earlier Closure Announcement
Artifact, the AI-powered news app created by Instagram’s co-founders, Kevin Systrom and Mike Krieger, was originally set to shut down in February 2024 due to market size concerns. However, the app has continued to operate beyond that date, as Systrom and Krieger have opted to keep it alive for the time being. They have not given up on a plan to maintain the app in the future, providing hope for fans of the innovative news discovery platform.
Systrom explained to TechCrunch that it requires less effort to run Artifact than initially anticipated, with just himself and Krieger overseeing operations. While the app may still be discontinued eventually, the co-founders are exploring all potential options for its future. Could an exit deal be in the works?
When Artifact launched, it gained attention not only for being Instagram’s co-founders’ newest venture but also for its AI capabilities. The app used AI to tailor news content to users’ interests from curated sources and offered unique features like news summaries in different styles and rewriting clickbait headlines for clarity.
Despite Artifact’s impending closure announcement, interest in AI-powered news summarization has surged. Various startups, like Arc, Feeeed, Bulletin, and Particle, are utilizing AI to enhance the news reading experience, indicating a growing investor interest in this sector. Artifact, funded solely by its founders, has the financial resources to sustain its operations for the time being, even though some social features have been removed.
