AI-based news platform Artifact to shut down in February 2024 due to low user attraction

Less than a year after its launch, the AI-based news and content discovery platform Artifact has announced its definitive shutdown for February 2024, due to its inability to attract a significant number of users. Launched in January 2023, Artifact used AI technology to suggest news articles tailored to individual user preferences with an innovative approach, and it was even selected among the best applications on the Google Play Store and Apple App Store (we also included it among our best new apps from 2023), but none of this was enough, and the platform failed to secure enough market traction to justify further investment.

Artifact's CEO, Kevin Systrom (and former Instagram co-founder), expressed in a blog post that despite a dedicated user community, the market opportunity was insufficient to warrant further resources. The app initially offered AI-created article summaries, in-app article discussions, and the ability to detect and rewrite clickbait articles. It later expanded its functionality to include features similar to those found in X, Pinterest, and Flipboard, allowing users to share web links and create custom posts.

As part of the closure process, the function of reading news will remain available until early February, but features such as commenting and posting will be phased out to reduce moderation requirements. Users can no longer add new comments or posts, and access to other users' profiles has been limited (and so are your liked/bookmarked posts, of which I personally had several 🥲). Some of the most recognized alternatives you can try include Inoreader, Feedbin, NewsBlur, or the recent Omnivore (more of a read-it-later tool than a news reader, so it's more of an alternative to the bookmarking feature of Artifact).