Instagram's AI-Driven News App Artifact to Cease Operations a Year After Launch

Artifact, the news application devised by Instagram co-founders Kevin Systrom and Mike Krieger, is closing its doors a mere year after its introduction.

Starting today anyone can download and use Artifact — no more waitlist and no phone number required. It’s available for anyone to download on iOS or Android.

Shutting Down Artifact

Despite incorporating an AI-driven methodology to propose news tailored to users' preferences, it failed to resonate widely enough, prompting the Artifact team to discontinue its development. CEO Kevin Systrom shared that they created something appreciated by a devoted user base.

However, they concluded that the market potential needed to be more significant to warrant continued investment in that direction. The winding down process for Artifact commences today, with users losing the ability to add new comments or posts.

Systrom expressed immense pride in their collective achievements in its press release. The team's app recently clinched the prestigious title of "everyday essential app of the year" by the Google Play Store, marking a significant recognition for their hard work and dedication.

Throughout the venture, the team had the privilege of collaborating with exceptionally talented engineers and designers, garnering a deep appreciation for their skills. Despite the decision to part ways, there is a shared sense of pride in the accomplishments they have collectively built.

To ensure a smooth transition for the community, the team has decided to streamline the app's functionality by simplifying its complexity and operations. This involves discontinuing the feature allowing users to add new comments and posts.

The reason behind this decision lies in the resource-intensive nature of moderating such content, which the team acknowledges they will be unable to support going forward. However, existing posts will remain visible to users on their profile self-view.

The team expresses gratitude for the community's support and understanding during this transitional period. Despite the adjustments, the core news reading capability of the app will remain operational until the end of February.

Local News vs. Leading Tech Companies

Local news, in particular, has virtually disappeared, and larger publishers find themselves entangled in challenging relationships with leading technology companies. Expressing hope for the future, Systrom envisions technology playing a pivotal role in preserving, supporting, and fostering the growth of these institutions.

He believes that institutions can harness the power of technologies like AI to scale their operations. The Verge reported that Systrom is confident that innovative minds are actively working on ideas that will continue to surprise and delight us across these vital areas.

Since its launch in late January 2023, Artifact has introduced several compelling features, including AI-generated article summaries, the capability to engage in article discussions within the platform, and the option to flag articles as clickbait and rewrite them using AI.

TechCrunch reported that its scope expanded beyond news, enabling users to share interesting web content through links and adopt a Twitter-like posting format.

Systrom emphasized the significance of news and information as crucial domains for startup investment. The current landscape is witnessing an existential moment marked by the closure or struggles of many publications.