Midjourney, the AI image-generation company, has acquired Co-Star, a free astrology app that uses human insight, NASA data, and AI to offer personalized daily horoscopes and friend compatibility checks. The deal closed in spring, and Co-Star's founder Banu Guler will lead both the app and serve as Midjourney's new chief design officer, helping the startup build its first dedicated applications including an image-generation tool.
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Midjourney, an AI image-generation startup, acquired the personalized astrology app Co-Star in a deal that closed in spring. Co-Star's founder Banu Guler will remain in charge of the app and will also become Midjourney's chief design officer.
Why it matters
Co-Star combines human insight, NASA data, and AI to deliver personalized daily horoscopes and compatibility checks. The acquisition signals Midjourney's expansion beyond image generation into consumer apps, and Guler's design expertise may help shape how Midjourney builds its first dedicated applications.
What to watch
Midjourney plans to develop its first apps, including one dedicated to image generation. Currently, Midjourney's AI models operate through the web and Discord; these new apps represent a shift toward standalone products. The deal terms have not been disclosed.
Midjourney announced on Thursday that it has acquired Co-Star, a personalized astrology app, in a deal that closed in spring. Co-Star is a free application that offers daily horoscopes and allows users to check their compatibility with friends. According to the app's FAQ page, it combines human insight, data from NASA, and AI to deliver personalized advice to users each day. The financial terms of the acquisition have not been disclosed. Co-Star founder Banu Guler will remain in charge of the app following the acquisition. At the same time, Guler will take on the role of Midjourney's chief design officer. According to Bloomberg, Midjourney founder David Holz stated that Guler and her team will help Midjourney build the company's first apps, including one dedicated to image generation. Currently, Midjourney houses its AI models on the web and through Discord, so the development of standalone applications marks a shift in how the company delivers its services to users.
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.
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