In a surprising move, Artifact, the news app developed by Instagram co-founders Kevin Systrom and Mike Krieger, is shutting down merely a year after its launch. Despite introducing AI-driven features like article summaries and the ability to mark articles as clickbait, the app failed to capture a significant user base.
CEO Kevin Systrom acknowledges that while a core group of users loved the platform, the market opportunity doesn't justify continued investment. As of today, users can no longer contribute new comments or posts, and Artifact will remain accessible for news consumption until the end of February.
Since its inception in January 2023, Artifact expanded its features, allowing users to share web links and post Twitter-like updates. However, features like comments and posts required more moderation and oversight than the small team of eight could manage.
Systrom expresses that the team will disband, each going their separate ways. Despite the setback, he remains optimistic about exploring new opportunities in the realm of AI, where possibilities seem limitless. The closure marks the end of a brief but innovative chapter for Artifact.
