Instagram Founder Shuts Down Artifact News App Within a Year of Launch

Instagram co-founders Kevin Systrom and Mike Krieger are shutting down their news app, Artifact, just a year after its launch. The app used an AI-driven approach to suggest news that users might like to read, but it seems it didn’t catch on with enough people for the Artifact team to continue making the app.

Artifact sought to personalize news consumption through tailored algorithms, offering an alternative to the firehose of information bombarding users on traditional platforms.

Gone were the days of endless scrolling. Artifact promised curated articles based on individual interests and preferences, a concept that initially resonated with tech enthusiasts and media channels.

Systrom said that the market opportunity wasn’t big enough to warrant continued investment. The app is beginning to wind down, and users can no longer add new comments or posts. Artifact will still let users read news “through the end of February.”

The team of eight people working on Artifact “will go our separate ways.” Kevin Systrom says the news and information “remain critical areas for startup investment,” and that he is personally excited to continue building new things in the AI space.

The app had won praise from journalists who appreciated reporter-friendly features like dedicated pages for individual reporters.

The whispers of discontent across Twitter and other social media platforms culminated in Systrom’s official announcement this week, where he acknowledged the “loyal user base” who adored Artifact but admitted that the app’s overall market potential couldn’t justify sustained investment.

The news sent shockwaves through the tech community, sparking online discussions on Twitter and beyond. Speculation abounds regarding the factors behind Artifact’s demise, with some pointing to user acquisition struggles, while others lament the challenges of competing against entrenched rivals.

Despite the shutdown, Systrom remains optimistic about the future of AI. “We live in an exciting time where artificial intelligence is changing just about everything we touch and the opportunities for new ideas seem limitless,” he said.

Also, the creator of Artifact mentioned on social media sites like Twitter, Instagram, etc. that he was working on new things, so there might be cool tech stuff from him soon.

While Artifact is shutting down, some folks see it as a learning experience, like a test run that shows what people like and dislike in news apps. This could help build better ones in the future!

For sure, though, its short time as a personalized news app has raised questions, taught us stuff, and maybe even given ideas to those who want to shake things up in the world of news and media.

So, even though it’s closing, maybe Artifact can still inspire people to make things better.

Will Artifact be just a forgotten thing in the long run, or will they change how news is shared? We’ll see.