Midjourney Co-Star acquisition puts AI in astrology's orbit
Midjourney has acquired astrology app Co-Star, with founder Banu Guler joining the AI lab as chief design officer.
By Poppy Nakagawa · Culture Writer
3 min read
The Midjourney Co-Star acquisition has paired one of generative AI’s best-known labs with a wildly popular astrology app, a deal announced on X by both Midjourney and Co-Star founder Banu Guler.
Guler said Co-Star Astrology has been acquired by Midjourney, the AI company founded by David Holz. Midjourney confirmed the deal in its own announcement and said Guler will keep “complete control” of Co-Star.
The tie-up is an unusual one on its face: Midjourney is known for generative AI tools, while Co-Star built its name on personalized horoscopes and astrology. Guler used her X post to point to shared roots and shared interests with Holz, framing the deal as a meeting of design, technology and imagination.
Midjourney’s announcement also said Guler will become the company’s chief design officer. That puts the founder of a consumer app with a distinct visual identity inside a company better known for AI creation tools.
Why did Midjourney buy Co-Star?
Midjourney and Guler have not laid out a detailed product roadmap for the acquisition. Guler pointed instead to common ground with Holz and to Midjourney’s stated interest in “beauty, imagination, and supporting human thriving with technology.”
The deal also lands as AI companies face public unease about what the technology will do to work and daily life. A Reuters/Ipsos poll published in 2025 found that 71% of Americans worried AI could permanently replace jobs, a backdrop that helps explain why control and intent were central to the public rollout.
Guler’s message aimed to reassure Co-Star users that the app’s identity would not vanish into a larger AI machine. Midjourney’s own statement reinforced that point by saying she would retain full authority over Co-Star.
What is Co-Star?
Co-Star is an astrology app known for delivering horoscope-based guidance to users through a sleek, highly designed interface. Its audience has made it one of the most recognizable astrology apps in the consumer tech market.
The app’s design reputation now matters beyond horoscopes. As chief design officer at Midjourney, Guler is expected to bring that design sensibility into the AI company’s wider ecosystem, according to the acquisition announcement.
Where Midjourney may be looking next
The purchase also comes after Midjourney has shown interest in areas outside its core AI image-generation work. Engadget has reported on the company’s development of a full-body ultrasonic scanner, and Midjourney has also described a medical concept involving spas that combine saunas, hot tubs, cold plunges and scanning technology.
Those projects suggest Midjourney has been exploring technology tied to wellness and the body, though the company has not said that Co-Star will be folded into those efforts. For now, the confirmed changes are the acquisition, Guler’s continued control of Co-Star and her new role leading design at Midjourney.
This story draws on original reporting from Mashable.