USA: Kevin Systrom and Mike Krieger, co-founders of Instagram, are working on Artifact, a personalised news app powered by TikTok-like recommendation algorithms.
The app uses machine learning to understand your preferences, and you will be able to discuss articles with friends in the future. If you're interested, you can get on the waiting list right now.
After nearly five years away from their parent company, the Instagram co-founders have returned with a new app called Artifact (the name stands for articles, facts, and artificial intelligence).
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Artifact intends to channel the same approach for news aggregation as TikTok, which tunes its feed based on algorithmic predictions without taking into account who you follow or your friend's list.
When you first launch Artifact, you will see a central feed filled with articles from major publications such as The New York Times as well as smaller blogs. As you scroll through stories that pique your interest, the app will begin personalising your feed, displaying similar posts in the future, much like TikTok's algorithm does.
Artifact's machine-learning systems are designed to track how long you spend reading about various subjects, rather than focusing on what generates the most clicks and comments, in order to appropriately optimise the feed for its users.
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Currently, two features are being tested on Artifact's beta channel, which Systrom believes could become the app's pillars. The first option is a feed that curates articles from users you've followed, as well as their comments on those posts. The second feature is a direct message inbox, which allows you to privately discuss posts with friends.
For the time being, Systrom and Krieger are funding the app themselves. Artifact, in their opinion, represents the next generation of social apps. The project is currently being worked on by a team of seven people, including Robby Stein, a former Instagram product executive.
You can search for specific outlets within the app, but the company will not reveal all of the publishers in its system for the time being. Artifact will feature stories from both left and right-wing outlets. However, the founders will make the final decision on which publishers will be featured on the app.
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Artifact is also adamant about removing posts that "promote falsehoods." Artifact is compatible with both Android and iOS devices. The Artifact waiting list is now open to the public, and the company intends to add more users as soon as possible. You can sign up for the app on both Android and iOS by clicking here.