Ericsson ConsumerLab just released its annual "10 Hot Consumer Trends for 2018" report, providing insight on the biggest consumer tech trends for the coming year. The report hits on underlying shifts behind automation and the creation of a leisure society, social media echo chambers, augmented hearing, and other trends. Michael Bjorn, Head of Research at Ericsson and author of the report, sat down with us to discuss the biggest trends to watch out for.
Bjorn fills us in on what he believes is the most surprising trend. He says we used to have to know how to use the devices, but now the devices know how to use us. As an example, Bjorn highlights face recognition technology and says it could help use your mood or expressions to know how to react.
Emerging tech is scary and alluring at the same time, says Bjorn. One of the scary parts uncovered from his research is that half of the people said they'd be spooked if they couldn’t tell whether communication was coming from a bot or a human. Concerns that privacy is at risk have been rising, but he predicts we’ll see more of a demand for services that protect us as well.
Amid an ongoing labor shortage, more companies are turning to automation for processes like shipping and delivery in order to relieve supply chain pressures. But what does this mean for the wider labor market - will those jobs return? How will workers fare once supply chain issues ease? Sam Lurye, CEO and Founder of automation startup Kargo, joins Cheddar News' Closing Bell to discuss the pros and cons of automation, how workers can adapt alongside new technology, and how the pandemic led to the perfect storm for the rise of automation.
Ben McMillan, CIO at IDX Digital Assets, joins Cheddar News' Closing Bell, where he explains how the recent surge by Ethereum and Bitcoin can be connected to a play against inflation.
AI chipmaker Hailo raised $136 million in its latest funds round, representing one of the largest investments ever in the AI chip space. It comes amid the ongoing global chip shortage, and a surge in demand for the company's technology, which is used to power smart cities, cars and homes, and the next generation of retail. Hailo co-founder and CEO Orr Danon joined Cheddar News' Closing Bell to discuss.
The two biggest names in the ride-sharing industry reported earnings this week. Uber and Lyft both beat Wall Street expectations on their top and bottom lines, as the companies and the ride-sharing industry have recently faced several challenges like the pandemic, the supply chain crisis, and driver shortages. Johnson Research Group CEO Chris Johnson joined Cheddar News' Closing Bell to discuss.
Gaming technology studio Mythical Games recently raised $150 million in a round led by Andreesen Horowitz, bringing Mythical's valuation to above unicorn status at $1.2 billion. Mythical Games' mission is to create a new generation of gaming with play-to-earn games that allow players to play to win actual cryptocurrency. Now the company is taking it to another level with NFT technology, allowing players to play with characters they can truly own. Mythical Games CEO John Linden joined Cheddar News' Closing Bell to discuss.
Tesla CEO Elon Musk posed a question to his Twitter followers over the weekend: 'Should I sell 10% of my Tesla shares in order to pay off a looming $15 billion tax bill?' Shares plummeted after he posed the question, and just over half of 3.5 million Twitter voters said Musk should sell a fraction of his shares. Dan Ives, Managing Director of Equity Research at Wedbush Securities, joins Cheddar News' Closing Bell to discuss whether or not Musk's Twitter poll was significant amid his looming tax bill, and how investors are feeling after yet another controversial tweet from the Tesla chief.
David Ewalt, Editor in Chief of Gizmodo, joins 'Fast Forward' to paint a picture of what a metaverse-driven future looks like, and how it will propel the future of work and education.
