Bluesky’s AI Assistant Attie Becomes Second Most Blocked Account Amid User Backlash

Bluesky’s latest AI tool, Attie, is facing intense backlash just days after its launch. The AI assistant, designed to let users create custom feeds and social media algorithms within Bluesky’s AT Protocol ecosystem, debuted at the company’s ATmosphere conference this past weekend. But instead of winning users over, Attie quickly became one of the most blocked accounts on the platform.

According to open source data, roughly 125,000 Bluesky users have blocked Attie, making it the second most blocked account on the network. By contrast, Attie only has about 1,500 followers, meaning nearly 83 times more users have blocked it than followed it. The only account with more blocks is Vice President J. D. Vance, with approximately 180,000, surpassing other heavily blocked accounts like the White House and ICE.

Bluesky, which now has around 43 million accounts, has built a reputation as a refuge from more mainstream social networks dominated by AI-generated content. Many users saw the platform as an escape from AI overload, which may explain the strong negative reaction. Critics have also questioned Bluesky’s product priorities, pointing out that some basic features, like sending images via direct message, remain unavailable.

From Bluesky’s perspective, Attie represents a more thoughtful approach to AI rather than a threat. Former CEO Jay Graber, now CIO, emphasized in a blog post that AI “should serve people, not platforms.” Graber noted that while AI can amplify human agency, it also contributes to noise and low-quality content on social networks, making it harder for users to find reliable information when it matters most.

Despite these intentions, the anger from users is less about Attie itself and more about what it symbolizes: the growing presence of AI in spaces users once considered human-centered. While the actual risk posed by Attie is minimal compared to more controversial AI applications, its launch has sparked a broader conversation about the role of AI in social media and the platform’s future direction.

source: Techcrunch