Key facts
- Roost is a social app that simulates message delivery using virtual birds, with delivery times based on the bird's real-life speed.
- The app has grown to nearly 300,000 users since its launch.
- Creator Logan Mendelsohn used AI-generated art for the app's bird illustrations.
- Users reacted negatively to the use of AI art, leading to complaints.
- Mendelsohn plans to replace the AI art and is holding a contest for artists.
Roost, a social media app designed to encourage slower communication through virtual bird messengers, has seen rapid growth, reaching nearly 300,000 users. The app's unique concept, where messages take hours or days to deliver based on the chosen virtual bird's speed, has resonated with users fatigued by the instant nature of modern technology. However, the app has faced significant backlash from its user base upon the revelation that its bird imagery was generated by AI. Creator Logan Mendelsohn, who also works as a Senior Product Manager in trust and safety at Ticketmaster, acknowledged the community's concerns. He stated that while AI-assisted development was crucial for him as a solo founder to build an app of this scale, he understood the feedback regarding AI art. Mendelsohn plans to replace the AI-generated art and is currently running a contest to invite artists to contribute to the app. He emphasized that product decisions still originate from him and the community, despite the use of AI tools in development.