Why Instagram Threads Missed Its Chance During OpenAI’s X-Centric Drama
The OpenAI Crisis Unfolded on X, Not Threads
This past weekend’s seismic upheaval at OpenAI—where CEO Sam Altman was abruptly ousted and later hired by Microsoft—highlighted a missed opportunity for Instagram Threads. While Meta’s Twitter/X compe***** has been gaining traction, the real-time conversation around this tech industry earthquake played out almost exclusively on X (formerly Twitter).
Key Moments That Dominated X
- Breaking news: Journalists like Kara Swisher used X to share exclusive updates about boardroom decisions, employee revolts, and Altman’s potential reinstatement
- Executive communications: Altman, Greg Brockman (OpenAI co-founder), and interim CEOs Mira Murati and Emmett Shear all made major announcements via X posts
- Industry reactions: Tech leaders like Marissa Mayer and Brian Chesky weighed in through X, analyzing OpenAI’s governance structure
- Employee sentiment: OpenAI staff signaled loyalty to Altman through coordinated heart emoji responses on his X posts
Threads’ Strategic Avoidance of News
Meta has deliberately positioned Threads as a less news-focused alternative to X. Instagram head Adam Mosseri stated in October that Threads wouldn’t “amplify” news content, and the platform has blocked certain news-related search terms. This conservative approach likely contributed to Threads missing this watershed moment in tech journalism.
Engagement Comparison
- Kara Swisher’s X posts about OpenAI received 5.5 million views and thousands of likes
- Her same content on Threads garnered only single-digit thousands of engagements
- X CEO Linda Yaccarino later reported the OpenAI drama generated 1.3 billion impressions on the platform
X’s Unexpected Resilience
Despite recent advertiser exodus and usage declines, X demonstrated remarkable staying power during this crisis:
- User retention: Data suggests X’s daily active user declines stem from difficulty attracting new users post-rebrand, not core user abandonment
- Industry relevance: The platform remains the go-to for real-time tech industry discourse
- Competitive landscape: Alternatives like Mastodon, Bluesky, and Threads failed to capture this breaking news moment
The Bigger Picture
While the OpenAI drama didn’t significantly boost X’s overall metrics (per data.ai and Apptopia), it reinforced X’s position as:
- The default platform for tech industry discourse
- A venue for executive communications during crises
- A real-time news source despite Meta’s Threads alternative
This event underscores the challenges new social platforms face in displacing entrenched industry communication norms—even when the incumbent platform faces significant business challenges.
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