Bluesky pivots AI assistant Attie into open social research tool

Launched in March, Attie originally served as a sandbox for users to build custom feeds without coding. The new Quests functionality moves the assistant toward a more active role, allowing users to query the network—or 'Atmosphere'—to identify influential accounts or track emerging topics. The company views this as a way to combat misinformation by empowering individuals to verify information independently rather than relying on opaque algorithmic curation.

This shift arrives as Bluesky navigates a cooling growth period. After doubling its user base to 40 million by last October, the platform now reports 45.6 million registered accounts. With $100 million in funding secured in early 2025, the company is under pressure to move beyond mere growth and begin testing potential revenue streams, including premium subscriptions or advanced power-user tools. While the current version of Attie remains free and in beta, the company has signaled that monetization remains a possibility.

Jay Graber, Bluesky’s chief innovation officer, frames the tool as a counterweight to the noise of the modern internet. Despite pushback from segments of the community skeptical of AI, management is betting that high-utility research tools will provide the necessary differentiation to keep the AT Protocol ecosystem viable. As the platform prepares to roll out access via a waitlist, users can expect further interface updates and accessibility improvements in the coming months.