BuzzFeed debuts AI slop apps in bid for new revenue

BuzzFeed, the renowned U.S. media outlet celebrated for its quizzes and listicles, is attempting to adapt to the evolving landscape of artificial intelligence. At the SXSW conference in Austin, co-founder and CEO Jonah Peretti unveiled the company's latest initiative: a spinoff named Branch Office, which aims to leverage AI in consumer apps focused on creativity and social interaction. Peretti shared insights about the new venture, noting that it builds on years of experimentation with AI tools. Despite a rocky presentation that included technical glitches and mixed audience reactions, he emphasized the goal of fostering connections through AI-driven platforms. "We’ve been working on this secretly for over a year, and we’ve learned a lot from the BuzzFeed platform about what is coming with new kinds of AI formats," he remarked. Branch Office introduced two new applications: BF Island and Conjure. BF Island is a group chat app featuring AI tools for photo editing. While the technology itself isn't groundbreaking, the app aims to inspire creativity through a library of trending memes and digital trends curated by an editorial team. This feature is intended to engage users and motivate them to create AI-generated images based on fleeting moments in pop culture. The second app, Conjure, draws inspiration from BeReal, encouraging users to capture daily images of their surroundings rather than selfies. In one demonstration, users were prompted with a photo challenge titled “What lies between the trees and the moon?” which showcased the app's focus on creativity and imagination. Additionally, Peretti introduced Quiz Party, a social app that allows users to take BuzzFeed quizzes with friends and share their results. This unveiling comes shortly after BuzzFeed expressed serious concerns about its financial viability, having reported a substantial net loss of $57.3 million last year. The company is now pivoting toward its Studio IP and AI applications as part of a strategy to address liquidity challenges. Despite the innovative concepts behind these new applications, audience feedback at SXSW suggested skepticism. Attendees raised concerns about user retention, referencing BeReal's struggles to maintain user engagement. In response, Shouldis, a director of product at BuzzFeed, acknowledged the need for the app to evolve, hinting at plans to incorporate various multimedia elements to enhance community engagement. Peretti concluded by asserting that in the rapidly changing tech landscape, software development could serve as a new form of content. However, the challenge remains: to attract users actively interested in utilizing AI, rather than merely focusing on the technology itself, which may not lead to long-term success.