Bluesky’s new AI tool Attie is already the most blocked account other than J.D. Vance

Bluesky recently introduced an AI assistant named Attie, designed to help users craft personalized social media algorithms and custom feeds within its AT Protocol ecosystem. However, the response has been anything but welcoming. Launched during the company's Atmosphere conference this past weekend, Attie quickly became the most blocked account on the platform, with around 125,000 users opting to block it almost immediately. This figure is striking, especially when considering that Attie has only garnered about 1,500 followers, indicating that users are blocking the account at a staggering rate—83 times more blocks than followers. The only account that has been blocked more frequently is Vice President J.D. Vance, who has faced approximately 180,000 blocks. Attie has even surpassed the White House and ICE accounts in terms of blocks, highlighting the discontent among Bluesky's user base. The platform, which has attracted around 43 million users as an alternative to Elon Musk’s Twitter, has been viewed by many as a refuge from the more mainstream social media landscape, which they feel has been overtaken by AI and other controversial elements. For these users, the introduction of Attie feels like a betrayal, especially since the platform is still lacking many basic features, such as the ability to send images via direct messages. In response to the backlash, Jay Graber, Bluesky's former CEO who has transitioned to the role of CIO, shared insights in a blog post. He emphasized that the vision for AI at Bluesky is to empower users rather than the platforms themselves. Graber remarked, "AI should serve people, not platforms," acknowledging the growing concern over low-quality AI-generated content flooding social networks, which complicates the search for reliable information. Attie's primary function is to create tailored feeds based on user preferences. While Graber acknowledges that AI can have detrimental applications, he remains optimistic about its potential benefits. However, critics argue that the environmental impact of expanding AI infrastructure and the cultural erosion associated with it cannot be ignored. Ultimately, the anger directed toward Attie is less about the AI assistant itself and more about what it represents—a capitulation to the notion that AI's pervasive presence is unavoidable in our digital lives.