Over the past 12 months, reading apps have embraced AI to change the way users consume news. The now-defunct co-founders of Instagram, Artifact introduced AI-powered summaries and headlines. Newer apps like Bulletin and the former Twitter Particle engine follow similar approaches. However, developer by Nate Parrott application Feeeeed (it’s four Es), available for iPhone and iPad, focus more on creating an algorithmic schedule to combine different sources.
The application
Like any reading app, Feeeed lets you add RSS feeds to your timeline. However, there are a number of other options, including newsletters, YouTube channels, Hacker News, subreddits, Mastodon profiles, Tumblr blogs, and Twitter accounts. You can also add birthdays, weather (US only), step count, photo flashbacks, personal reminders, and flashbacks. The most unique integration is a way to track a part of a web page.
Image Credits: Screenshot from TechCrunch
The home feed shows a mix of posts from the sources you follow. Posts, which appear in card format by default, are not in chronological order. Unlike other RSS readers, there’s no readership to wade through, as the idea is to discover content rather than reaching “Inbox Zero” for a reader. But if you feel the need to catch up on the latest posts, you can pin a “Latest” tab to the bottom bar. Alternatively, you can also change the stream ranking from “Best Variety” to “Chronological”.
Image Credits: Screenshot from TechCrunch
The main feed is empty until you start following sources from places like the Subscribe and Explore tabs. For better discovery, Parrott added occasional source suggestions and an artificial intelligence bot to the app last year. The bot can suggest things in response to a question like “What are some blogs or newsletters that talk about Football (Soccer).”
Building Fees
Parrott told TechCrunch via email that the process of creating the app began during the pandemic, when there was a strong urge to scroll constantly. He built something for himself with different sources.
“The urge to pull out your phone and just flick it is so powerful. I tried quitting various social media apps at various times and it never worked, so I thought: why not embrace the urge to scroll and redirect it to something worthwhile? I wanted a news feed for myself, on my own terms,” he said.
“The whole idea of it a news feed for yourself, on your terms it’s still key to understanding the app, I think. You choose what’s important and Feeeed reminds you. You can choose the icon, the tabs, the algorithm, the layout.”
Image Credits: Screenshot from TechCrunch
Parrott said he didn’t initially build a recommendation engine. However, after launching the app in 2022, it realized that content discovery was a top demand for users.
“I think the idea of a rolling, infinite flow is a really powerful thing. It forms a habit. You can look at it as a bad thing, or you can look at it as a reality of our relationship with technology and say, “Hey, if I’m going to scroll through a feed while I’m waiting for the train, then you can at least remind me to send message to my friend for his birthday?’ he said.
What’s coming?
While there is room for AI-led implementation in the space, Parrott doesn’t believe in using technology to get more news faster to people. Instead, he wants to explore ways to get people to follow more sources, such as podcasts, local news and niche websites.
Feeeed is currently testing a feature to display daily AI-generated updates. Additionally, Parrott is working on customizing feed and notifications.
Image Credits: Nate Parrott
Parrott noted that in the long term, he wants to help people discover personalized content without doing much.
“The big challenge for Feeeed is to give people a feed that feels deeply personal without asking them to do too much work. Apple News is popular because there is no installation work,” said the developer.
