A giant corporation is preparing to let loose an army of walking and talking A.I. characters called "hosts," [which might have you questioning the nature of your reality.](http://pcmag.com/feature/360323/inside-sumerian-amazon-s-big-bet-on-augmented-and-virtual-re)
No, it's not the plot of season two of "Westworld."
Amazon is expected to launch Sumerian, its augmented and virtual reality development platform, next month. [Unlike Microsoft, Sony, and Google before it, the e-commerce giant's A.I. plans do not include any headsets or special devices.]((https://www.pcmag.com/article2/0,2817,2496299,00.asp)
Built on the Amazon Web Services cloud, Sumerian is a web-based drag-and-drop interface designed to make AR and VR app development easy for experienced developers and those with no coding experience. It's also platform-agnostic, allowing creators to make AR apps for Android and iOS, and to create VR programs that can be integrated with the Oculus Rift or HTC Vive.
"If they're going to make a big bet on AR/VR this is definitely a safer way to do it," said Rob Marvin, the associate features editor at PCMag. He recently got an exclusive look at the platform ahead of its wide release.
Marvin was able to demo two apps built on the platform: a virtual meteorologist's weather forecast from WeatherBug and a new program from Electronic Caregiver that helps elderly patients assess their risk of falling. Both examples make use of Sumerian's A.I.-enabled hosts. The characters are meant to add a human-ish element to the virtual and augmented reality scenes.
Marvin said Amazon also sees great potential in Sumerian for the Internet of Things, interactive display advertising, online retail, and virtual training.
For full interview, [click here](https://cheddar.com/videos/amazons-vr-ar-strategy-throws-out-the-headset).
Nestlé has dismissed its CEO Laurent Freixe after an investigation into an undisclosed relationship with a direct subordinate. The company announced on Monday that the dismissal was effective immediately. An investigation found that Freixe violated Nestlé’s code of conduct. He had been CEO for a year. Philipp Navratil, a longtime Nestlé executive, will replace him. Chairman Paul Bulcke stated that the decision was necessary to uphold the company’s values and governance. Navratil began his career with Nestlé in 2001 and has held various roles, including CEO of Nestlé's Nespresso division since 2024.
Kraft Heinz is splitting into two companies a decade after they joined in a massive merger that created one of the biggest food companies on the planet. One of the companies will include brands such as Heinz, Philadelphia cream cheese and Kraft Mac & Cheese. The other will include brands like Oscar Mayer, Kraft Singles and Lunchables. When the company formed in 2015 it wanted to capitalize on its massive scale, but shifting tastes complicated those plans, with households seeking to introduce healthier options at the table. Kraft Heinz's net revenue has fallen every year since 2020.
