After two years below Instagram head Adam Mosseri, Meta is formally handing off Threads to a brand new chief. Right here’s what the change might imply for the app’s future.
As first reported by Axios, Meta is naming longtime govt Connor Hayes, previously head of generative AI product, as the brand new head of Threads beginning in September.
The transfer marks the primary time somebody exterior Instagram will take the reins of the text-based social app, in one more signal that Meta appears to be lastly getting severe about treating Threads as extra than simply an Instagram sidekick.
Till now, Threads had been overseen by Instagram chief Adam Mosseri, who helped launch the app again in 2023. However in a employees memo despatched Thursday, Mosseri stated it’s time for devoted management:
“Given Threads’ maturity, we predict we’d like a devoted app lead who can focus all of their time on serving to Threads transfer ahead.”
One would agree.
What’s going to this imply for the way forward for Threads?
Hayes has been with Meta since 2011, and he’s held product roles throughout Instagram and Fb. He was additionally a part of the unique crew that construct the primary model or Threads.
His new place begins in mid-September, and as soon as onboarded, he’ll handle all product, design, engineering, and analysis groups engaged on Threads.
He’ll nonetheless report back to Mosseri, however the day-to-day duties are shifting.
9to5Mac’s take
Right this moment’s transfer comes at an attention-grabbing time for Threads. Only a few days in the past, Similarweb reported that regardless of being behind X in international net visitors, Threads has been bridging the hole on cellular, averaging round 115 million cellular day by day energetic customers, in comparison with X’s 132 million.
Placing a gen AI exec accountable for Threads might trace at the place Meta needs to take the app subsequent, particularly because it continues testing AI-generated content material in customers’ feeds.
It’s potential that, with Threads nonetheless being comparatively small in comparison with different Meta apps, the corporate is perhaps excited about utilizing it as a testbed for AI options, earlier than rolling them out extra broadly to its different apps.
Do you utilize Threads? Do you at all times ask if anyone nonetheless makes use of Threads? Tell us within the feedback.
AirPods offers on Amazon
FTC: We use earnings incomes auto affiliate hyperlinks. Extra.
