Instagram’s founders are returning with a new application, Artifact, more than four years after leaving the business. Kevin Systrom and Mike Krieger announced the debut of Artifact on Tuesday, an app that promises a tailored news feed driven by artificial intelligence.
Krieger stated in an Instagram post that he and Systrom have been working with a talented team for more than a year to launch the service. “We’re gradually letting people in as we scale up,” Krieger wrote. The public can now join a wait list.
Unlike Instagram, the app focuses on articles rather than photographs. According to Platformer, which initially reported the debut, Artifact would propose material based on interests and allow for conversation with friends. A primary feed will display popular stories from huge media organisations down to minor bloggers, and a user’s feed will become increasingly tailored based on what they click on.
The debut coincides with increased activity in the social media sector. Following the instability and uncertainty at Twitter under new owner Elon Musk, a number of other services have gained popularity, assisting users in receiving news and personal updates in a feed. Meanwhile, TikTok’s quick ascent has prompted several applications, including Instagram, to mimic its features.
Artifact is widely being defined as a TikTok for text and maybe a surprise strike on Twitter.
After co-creating Instagram in 2010, Systrom and Krieger sold the app to Meta in 2012 for $1 billion. The two quit Instagram in 2018, according to sources at the time, due to disagreements with CEO Mark Zuckerberg over the app’s direction and a desire to further integrate it into Facebook.
According to Platformer, Systrom and Krieger have subsequently formed a company focusing on future social apps. Artifact is the first product from the venture.