Artifact, the news aggregator that has recently ventured into competition with X, is introducing a novel generative AI capability. Developed by Instagram’s co-founders, the app made waves last week by allowing users to share updates without the necessity of including a hyperlink. Today, it takes a step further by empowering users to craft their own images to complement their posts through the utilization of generative AI.
The company envisions this feature as a means to enhance the allure of user posts, recognizing that captivating visuals can help convey their narratives effectively. For instance, users can conjure up a scenic landscape when discussing climate-related topics or generate a futuristic concept car when delving into the subject of electric vehicles, among other creative possibilities.
This feature, which has been in the works for the past few months, can be accessed by clicking the plus “+” icon within the photo frame when composing a new post on Artifact, followed by selecting the “create with AI” option. Users can then input their prompt to witness the generated image materialize. The prompt can encompass a subject, a medium (e.g., illustration or 3D imagery), and a style (such as pop art or photorealistic).
Artifact reveals that it employs a finely-tuned Stable Diffusion model for the image generation process. The entire procedure is designed to be swift, taking just a few seconds. Should users find themselves unsatisfied with the outcomes, they have the flexibility to reuse the same prompt for generating another image or adjust the prompt to try anew.
This addition represents just one of the many AI technologies integrated into the app to personalize content for individual users. Initially conceived as a news aggregator, Artifact employed AI to prioritize and surface the most relevant content. The app also introduced AI-driven features to rephrase clickbait headlines and summarize articles, offering readers a preview before diving into the full text.
In recent times, Artifact has evolved from a mere news hub to a competitor to platforms like X and Threads, with the inclusion of social functionalities such as commenting, user profiles, and the capacity for users to share their own links and text-based posts. This expansion diversifies the content accessible on Artifact and transforms the product into a more social platform, where content curators can cultivate a following—a concept akin to that of X (formerly known as Twitter).
With the introduction of generative AI imagery, content creators now have another tool at their disposal to attract users and build their audience.
