Artifact Introduces New Posts Feature, Expanding Its Platform

Artifact, the platform developed by Instagram’s co-founders, is taking a bold step towards becoming a fully-fledged social network. Today, the company announced the launch of a new feature called “Posts,” allowing users to create and share their own content directly on the platform.

Building on the success of Links

With the addition of the Posts feature, Artifact is building on the recent success of its Links feature, which enables users to share noteworthy URLs with the community. By allowing users to create posts, Artifact aims to provide a more personalized experience and facilitate the discovery of new and engaging content.

How it works

To create a post, users simply tap the “+” icon on the top right corner of the Links tab. From there, they can add images, titles, and text to their posts. Artifact emphasizes that users have the freedom to share a wide range of content, including restaurant reviews, how-to guides, app breakdowns, family recipes, and design-inspired posts.

Posts will appear in the visual feed of content shared by the community, reaching not only a user’s followers but also anyone on Artifact who has shown interest in similar topics. Each post will have a unique URL, making it easy to share across different platforms.

Expanding beyond aggregation

Artifact’s foray into the world of posts indicates a significant shift for the platform. While it initially served as a news aggregator, enabling users to discover and share links, Artifact is now venturing into direct competition with other social networks like X and Meta’s Threads.

Prior to the launch of the Posts feature, Artifact had been gradually expanding its social networking capabilities, introducing features such as article commenting and tools for writers to claim their profiles and track readership. However, the addition of Posts brings Artifact directly into the realm of social media.

Looking towards the future

Kevin Systrom, co-founder and CEO of Artifact, recently spoke about the platform’s ongoing exploration of product-market fit. He highlighted the company’s belief that machine learning, large language models (LLMs), and mobile technology will play vital roles in Artifact’s success. However, Systrom also acknowledged that achieving scale remains a challenge that the company continues to tackle.

Furthermore, Systrom expressed his optimism about the potential of AI, dismissing concerns of AI doomerism. He believes that these technologies will serve to empower individuals and enhance their capabilities.

In conclusion, with the introduction of the Posts feature, Artifact is positioning itself as more than just a news aggregator, solidifying its presence as a social network. By empowering users to create and share their own content, Artifact aims to foster a community-driven experience that encourages discovery and personalization.