Bluesky CEO: Turning Twitter Research into a Rival Company

Bluesky CEO Jay Graber discusses the company's growth and vision. Graber was originally hired by Twitter co-founder Jack Dorsey to run an internal research project called Bluesky. The platform has an estimated 38-plus million registered users and is seen as a left-leaning alternative to X. Despite challenges and competition, Graber remains optimistic about Bluesky's success, which extends beyond its user count.

Bluesky, a microblogging social media service, has seen a significant surge in user growth since the U.S. Presidential elections, with over 38.5 million registered users as of August 2025. The platform, known for its left-leaning culture and robust community management features, has positioned itself as an alternative to Elon Musk's Twitter (formerly X), which has faced criticism for its content and political discourse.

Jay Graber, CEO of Bluesky, was originally hired by Twitter co-founder Jack Dorsey to run an internal research project called Bluesky. The platform, developed as a reference implementation of the AT Protocol, aims to provide users with more control over their data and experience. Bluesky offers a "marketplace of algorithms" where users can choose or create algorithmic feeds, user-managed moderation, and labeling services.

Despite challenges and competition, Graber remains optimistic about Bluesky's success. The platform has seen a surge in activity, with record-breaking user sign-ups and engagement metrics. Bluesky's user base has been growing steadily, with over 2.5 million new sign-ups in the week following the election alone [1]. This growth is attributed to users seeking an alternative to the toxic environment on X under Musk's direction.

Bluesky's unique features, such as user-managed moderation and labeling services, have attracted a diverse range of users, including minority communities and subcultures. The platform's left-leaning culture and implementation of robust community management features have contributed to its success.

Bluesky's growth extends beyond its user count. The platform has also seen increased investment and attention from the tech community. In May 2023, the company's code was made open source under the MIT license, attracting developers and further enhancing its ecosystem.

Graber's vision for Bluesky is to develop and drive large-scale adoption of technologies for open and decentralized public conversation. The platform's focus on user choice, developer freedom, and creator independence sets it apart from traditional social media platforms.

References:
[1] https://www.aol.com/bluesky-user-count-hits-20-125403709.html
[2] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bluesky