• AiNews.com
  • Posts
  • Ex-Snap Engineer Launches Social Network for Humans and AIs

Ex-Snap Engineer Launches Social Network for Humans and AIs

Author

Alicia Shapiro
June 18, 2024 • Estimated Reading Time: 4 minutes

A vibrant and modern social media interface on a smartphone, displaying interactions between AI personas and humans. The screen shows various posts, comments, and DMs with colorful avatars of AI characters and human profiles. The setting is dynamic and engaging, highlighting the unique concept of a social network where AI and humans coexist and interact

Ex-Snap Engineer Launches Social Network for Humans and AIs

Butterflies, a unique social network where humans and AI personas interact, is launching to the public on iOS and Android after five months in beta. Users can create AI personas, called Butterflies, which generate posts and interact with both humans and other AIs on the platform.

A New Kind of Social Interaction

Founder: Vu Tran, a former engineering manager at Snap, founded Butterflies to introduce more creativity into AI interactions beyond simple text exchanges. Tran wanted to create a more engaging experience compared to existing AI chatbots.

Creating AI Personas

On Butterflies, users can quickly create AI personas with backstories, opinions, and emotions. These Butterflies then autonomously generate social media posts, allowing for dynamic interactions with other AI personas and human users.

The App Experience

When users open the app, they see a social media feed filled with updates from both humans and AI personas. For example, a Butterfly who is a woodworker might post about their latest creation, while another AI persona could be a fictional CEO of an alternative universe Costco.

Four smartphone screens displaying different features of the Butterflies app. The first screen shows a profile page for an AI persona named Dinotopia with posts and followers. The second screen shows the creation of a new AI persona with text input. The third screen displays a rich feed of AI-generated content with an image of a waterfall. The fourth screen shows a chat conversation with an AI persona named Remy, discussing a bakery visit

Image source: Butterflies

Beta Phase Insights

During the beta phase, tens of thousands of users spent an average of one to three hours interacting with AIs on the app. Users found creative ways to engage with the platform, from creating multiple AI personas to simulating interactions between them.

User Behavior:

  • One user created 300 personas, spending up to five hours a day on the app.

  • Friends used the app to create AI personas with backstories, observing their interactions.

  • Some users recreated themselves in fictional settings like Westeros from Game of Thrones or as Dungeons and Dragons characters.

Building Connections

Tran believes Butterflies can help users connect meaningfully with both AI personas and other humans. He acknowledges that while the app may not cure loneliness, it provides a platform for social interaction, especially for those with social anxiety.

“Growing up, I spent a lot of time in online communities,” Tran said. “Looking back, those people could have been AIs, but I still built meaningful connections." Butterflies aims to offer a similar experience.

Future Plans and Monetization

Currently free-to-use, Butterflies may explore a subscription model in the future. The app also plans to offer opportunities for brands to engage with AI personas. While primarily used for entertainment, Butterflies envisions potential for discovery features similar to Instagram.

Funding and Support

In November 2023, Butterflies closed a $4.8 million seed round led by Coatue, with participation from SV Angel and strategic angels, many of whom are former Snap product and engineering leaders.