AOL to End AOL Instant Messenger (AIM) on December 15, 2017

Posted on October 6, 2017

AOL has announced that AOL Instant Messenger will be shutting down. The last day will be December 15, 2017. AIM helped usher in the experience of chatting with friends and family in the 1990s. It was the dominant chat service for several years. AOL was also an early experimenter in the use of chat bots.

AOL says on its FAQ about the end of the chat product that Buddy Lists will go away. The aim.com names will remain available for use as email.

AOL says, "We know there are so many loyal fans who have used AIM for decades; and we loved working and building the first chat app of its kind since 1997. Our focus will always be on providing the kind of innovative experiences consumers want. We're more excited than ever to focus on building the next generation of iconic brands and life-changing products."

AOL says you need to download any data and chat logs you want to keep before December 15, 2017. The end of AIM brings back memories of the early days of the Internet for many tech reporters. You can find more coverage of the big news on Techmeme. The AOL chat buddy waved goodbye on Twitter and wore a party hat.

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