Midjourney acquires astrology app Co-Star, appoints founder as chief design officer

Midjourney has built its reputation as an AI image-generation tool accessible primarily through web and Discord interfaces. With the Co-Star acquisition, the company is signaling a broader ambition to become a consumer-focused platform with dedicated applications rather than remaining a web-based service. The timing of the spring acquisition closing suggests this strategic shift has been underway for some months. By bringing on Banu Guler as chief design officer, Midjourney is betting on design-led product development—Co-Star itself is known for its polished user experience in the astrology space. Guler's dual role keeping her in charge of Co-Star while overseeing Midjourney's app strategy suggests the astrology app will continue operating as an independent product while informing how Midjourney approaches its next generation of consumer-facing tools. The planned image-generation app, in particular, may reflect lessons learned from Co-Star's personalization and user engagement model.