Airchat: The Voice-Only Social Media App Taking Tech Twitter by Storm
A Minimalist Feed of Audio Bytes
Airchat, the brainchild of AngelList founder Naval Ravikant and former Tinder CPO Brian Norgard, has taken the tech world by surprise. The app, which recently relaunched with a new version, features a minimalist feed of text blocks that are actually transcriptions of audio bytes. Users can post their own voice notes by holding down the Audio/Video button, talking, and releasing. The app automatically jumps from one voice note to another, creating a unique, audio-based social media experience.
Confounding Elements and Intuitive Challenges
While Airchat offers a fresh take on social media, it also comes with its share of confounding elements. Voice notes are posted the moment users release the Audio/Video button, leaving no room for editing. Sorting through multiple responses to a voice note can be less than intuitive, and it’s unclear how long a single message can be. Additionally, all voice notes play back at 2X speed by default, giving everyone a slightly hyper vibe.
Funding and Future Plans
Airchat has received funding from Ravikant’s own fund, Accomplice Ventures founding partner Jeff Fagnan, and even OpenAI CEO Sam Altman. When asked about the app’s future plans, Ravikant insisted on conducting the conversation publicly on Airchat, stating, “It can’t be a side-channel, DM-based interview. That’s the old world that we are leaving behind.”
The AI Advantage
One of Airchat’s standout features is its AI-powered transcription. The app generates high-quality transcripts for each voice note almost immediately, even recognizing and transcribing other languages like Russian and Moroccan Arabic. Ravikant has assured users that their voice data will not be used to train large language models or sold to other companies building AI models. However, Airchat may use the data to improve its own audio and transcription functions.
We’ll block them, we’ll sue them, and then, if I have a battery of orbital satellites, we’d nuke them from orbit.
– Naval Ravikant, on the possibility of AI companies scraping Airchat data without a formal agreement
Monetization and Moderation Challenges
Airchat’s monetization plans remain unclear, with no mention of charging for access. The current format seems to lend itself to audio ads, but there’s a risk of making the app unlistenable. Content moderation is another challenge, as people’s unfiltered sound bytes are posted the moment they release the virtual microphone. The app’s policies emphasize self-moderation, with users being able to mute or block others. However, this may not be enough to address the issue of harmful content or misinformation festering on the platform.
The Clubhouse Comparison
Airchat’s asynchronous voice note format is reminiscent of Clubhouse, the audio-based social media app that gained popularity during the pandemic. Clubhouse, too, faced moderation challenges and recently relaunched as a place for asynchronous voice notes, proving that there may not be as many new ideas as we think.
The Airchat Buzz
Despite its challenges, Airchat has generated significant buzz among tech enthusiasts, early adopters, venture capitalists, and journalists. The app’s feed is filled with discussions on topics ranging from Bitcoin to geopolitics, with users sharing strong opinions and unconfirmed news reports. As Ravikant himself posted late on Sunday, “I’m having, like, the best conversation in DMs. I’m having the best conversation here.”
5 Comments
Can Airchat actually change the game, or will it fade away like so many before it?
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