Social network Bluesky has announced the expansion of its artificial intelligence assistant, Attie, into an open-source research tool through a new feature called Quests. This move marks the platform's latest effort to leverage AI to retain users and explore monetization opportunities as its user growth shows signs of a significant slowdown.
Diễn biến chi tiết
According to reports from TechCrunch, the Attie assistant was originally launched in March this year to help users build custom feeds without programming. With the new Quests feature, the tool has evolved into a comprehensive search and analysis platform. Users can now ask open-ended questions to gain insights into what is happening within the "Atmosphere" — a term referring to the entire Bluesky social network and any app integrated with the underlying AT Protocol. Currently, the upgraded Attie experience is in a limited beta phase, and interested users must sign up for a waitlist to gain access in the coming weeks.
Phân tích kỹ thuật & Công nghệ
Technically, Attie’s power lies in its ability to communicate directly with the decentralized AT Protocol. Instead of only scanning local data on the Bluesky app, this AI tool can query and aggregate information from all active nodes across the shared protocol. This enables users to perform complex tasks such as analyzing trending topics in real time or identifying the most influential accounts in specific fields or geographic locations. According to the development team, Attie is designed to lower the technical barrier for anyone wishing to tap into the open data ecosystem of the AT Protocol, turning complex database queries into simple natural language conversations.
Ý kiến chuyên gia & Nhận định
Jay Graber, Bluesky’s Chief Innovation Officer and former CEO, stated that Attie's AI aims to help users find the truth themselves amidst the proliferation of misinformation and noise on the internet. Reflecting on the decision to implement AI, Bluesky's leadership acknowledged this is a challenging move, given that a significant portion of their community tends to dislike AI for economic, political, and environmental reasons. However, the new executive team, led by CEO Toni Schneider, must strike a balance between community philosophy and the pressure to generate revenue to keep the project sustainable.
Tác động & Tương lai
The decision to accelerate Attie's development comes as Bluesky's registered user base stagnates at around 45.6 million accounts, growing slowly compared to the explosive growth that doubled its user base to 40 million last October. Backed by a $100 million Series B funding round raised previously, Bluesky has the financial runway to continue experimenting with premium AI features, paving the way for potential monetization in the future. For the tech community, Attie’s shift from a feed-customization assistant to an open social research tool will serve as a crucial test of how decentralized social networks can utilize AI effectively and safely.