Instagram original founders Kevin Systrom and Mike Krieger are launching a new social app, which will focus on content specifically, as opposed to social elements.
Cleverly dubbed ‘Artifact’ (which is a combination of ’articles, facts, and artificial intelligence’), the new app will be designed to provide users with a curated news experience, based on their engagement and interests.
As explained by Platformer:
“The app opens to a feed of popular articles chosen from a curated list of publishers ranging from leading news organizations like the New York Times to small-scale blogs about niche topics. Tap on articles that interest you and Artifact will serve you similar posts and stories in the future, just as watching videos on TikTok’s For You page tunes its algorithm over time.”
The app will aim to use the same strategies that launched TikTok to soaring heights. One strategy includes using users in-app actions as indicators to better curate their personal experience, although they are also working on social elements. Artifact developers are working on a following feed as well as messaging, but the main goal is to use advanced machine learning to keep users engaged.
Something new that we will see – Artifact will be selective about the creators and content that it allows into the app, and will remove posts that promote “falsehoods”. Some may say this could be viewed as a form of censorship – a key motivator for Elon Musk’s ‘Twitter 2.0’ project – and could cause problems for the app in the future.
What is clear is that this will be an interesting experiment in social media platforms. Additionally, it will be interesting to see Krieger and Systrom return to social media and how they apply what they learned from Instagram in a totally new arena.
Don’t miss your chance – you can sign up to the Artifact waitlist here.
