Tech giant Elon Musk announced the revival of a beloved relic of the past in an announcement on X, promising a resurrection of the 2010s app Vine – but with a twist.
Online users had mixed reactions to the announcement, especially after Musk’s controversial AI program began referring to itself as “MechaHitler” on X.
Here’s what we know.
Musk announces Vine revival
Musk announced the revival on X, promising a rebrand of the 2010s social media platform that grew popular for its six-second user-posted videos.
Vine paved the way for short-form content platforms like TikTok and Instagram Reels.
“We’re bringing back Vine, but in AI form,” Musk wrote.
Now what does this mean? Musk has not yet clarified what the “AI form” of Vine will look like, but people have had mixed feelings about it so far.
Many online users are confused by what an ‘AI form’ of Vine would look like
Vine lovers are excited to see it brought back to life
Some are conflicted, concerned about human content being replaced
Others brought up Grok, another recent invention with issues
Why did Vine shut down?
Vine was purchased by Twitter in 2012 and launched in 2013 as a social media app where users could post six-second clips, according to The New York Times.
The platform rapidly increased in popularity following its launch, tripling its users in the span of three months. But in a matter of years, the app started struggling to keep up with competitors like Instagram and Snapchat, who were launching similar features that allowed users to post short-form content.
Vine reportedly faced high costs, leadership turnover and the loss of many of its famed creators to Instagram, which had begun paying influencers to post content on its site.
Then, suddenly, Twitter announced in 2016 that it would be shutting down Vine without disclosing why.
This article originally appeared on Journal Star: Elon Musk announces new ‘AI form’ Vine. See how people reacted
Reporting by Hannah Hudnall and Katie Wiseman, USA TODAY / Journal Star
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
