During this week's engineering demo, our engineering team shared updates on artifact stability improvements, file processing notifications, and the launch of dual chat modes.

These updates directly address user feedback and focus on creating a more reliable, efficient, and cost-effective experience for everyone using Storytell.

Artifact stability and user experience improvements

We've made significant improvements to artifact reliability based on direct user feedback. After we noticed a few users face this technical issues, we identified and resolved the core problem: artifacts were crashing when users tried to edit them.

What's changed: Artifacts now default to read-only mode, which is significantly more stable and less error-prone than the previous editable text editor. When you want to make changes, simply click the edit button to access the full editing capabilities you're familiar with.

Why this matters: You'll experience fewer crashes and interruptions when working with generated content, leading to a smoother overall experience with Storytell.

Notifications for file processing

We've also addressed another pain point: the frustration of asking questions while files are still processing. Previously, users would receive poor answers or generic "wait" messages without clear guidance on when their files would be ready.

The new experience: When you try to submit a prompt while files are processing, you'll see a helpful popup explaining why waiting is beneficial and offering two options: submit anyway for a potentially incomplete answer, or get notified when processing completes.

If you choose notifications, Storytell will alert you the moment your files are ready—even if you're on a different tab or screen. Clicking the notification takes you directly back to your chat.

User impact: This feature was specifically requested by users, and it eliminates the guesswork around when your knowledge base is ready for questions.

Introducing dual chat modes for different needs

Perhaps the most significant update is the introduction of two distinct ways to interact with Storytell, giving you more control over your experience and costs.

Chat mode: This lightweight option mirrors the fast, simple behavior from the previous version of Storytell. It's designed for quick interactions with your knowledge base—perfect when you need rapid answers without additional processing overhead.

Agent mode: This is the full-featured experience you know from V3, complete with web search and artifact generation. It's ideal for complex tasks that benefit from comprehensive research and content creation.

Cost efficiency: The difference is substantial. While agent mode typically consumes 200-400 credits (sometimes thousands), chat mode uses around 17 credits for similar basic queries. This means your 300 daily credits stretch much further when you choose the right mode for your needs.

Additional interface improvements include clearer chat titles, better completion date tracking, an improved prompt bar design, and enhanced credit balance visualization that changes color as you approach your limits.

Become an Alpha or Beta Tester

Get early access to features as we release them by becoming an alpha or beta tester. Here's how to sign up: https://docs.storytell.ai/about/early-access