Artifact, the buzzy news app from Instagram co-founders Kevin Systrom and Mike Krieger, less than a year later its activation. In a post on Medium, Systrom said the app’s “breaking news reading” features will be online by the end of February, but will immediately remove the ability to comment and post.
Along with its famous founding team, the software was also known for its AI-centric features ability to comment and write. The app has won praise from journalists who appreciate its reporter-friendly features as well as dedication and featured in Apple and Google’s app stores.
But after a year on the job, it seems Systrom and Krieger have faced the same struggles as the company’s founders. before them. “We created something that a core group of users loved, but we concluded that the market opportunity was not large enough to warrant continued investment in this way,” Systrom wrote.
While he didn’t say what he’ll do next, Systrom’s note hinted that he might start a new AI-based project at some point. “Personally, I’m excited to keep building new things, but only time will tell what that can be,” he said. “We live in an exciting time where artificial intelligence is changing everything we touch and the possibilities for new ideas seem endless.”
In the meantime, Artifact fans have a few more weeks to check out the titles before the app goes completely offline.
