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Smashing, the reading curation app by Goodreads’ founder, shuts down
Smashing, a news curation app founded by Goodreads’ Otis Chandler, is shutting down due to slow growth and inability to scale. Launched last June, it combined AI and community input to curate content but could not sustain itself despite $3.4 million in funding. Its closure follows the shutdown of other similar apps in a tough market.
Key points
- Smashing was launched in June 2023 by Otis Chandler, the founder of Goodreads.
- The app aimed to aggregate news, articles, and social media content in one platform.
- It employed AI for content curation, summaries, and user interactions (votes and submissions).
- Despite raising $3.4 million in funding, Smashing couldn't achieve sustainable growth.
- The company had seven employees and noted that it couldn't scale adequately.
- The shutdown follows the closure of other AI news apps like Artifact, indicating a challenging landscape.
Why it matters
- The rise of AI-powered news aggregation apps reflects a growing industry focused on personalized content delivery.
- Smashing’s failure mirrors broader trends in the technology sector where rapid scaling is crucial.
- By 2025, the IT landscape is expected to see more innovations amidst challenges faced by startups in content curation.
Smashing's closure highlights the difficulties faced by startups in the AI-powered content aggregation field, emphasizing the need for rapid growth and sustainability in an increasingly competitive market.