How One Company Is Using A.I. to Make Custom Emojis
From Apple's Animojis to Bitmoji, the emoji world is beginning to merge technology with self-expression. Mirror A.I.'s Serge Faguet joins Cheddar to discuss his company's keyboard, which uses facial recognition to make custom emoji. He explains the research and development that went into creating the app's software.
The co-founder and CEO also gives his take on the emoji industry's landscape. He says his company has a leg up on Bitmoji, thanks to its facial-recognition software and the ability to make likenesses of friends, in addition to oneself. He says this makes the app inherently more social, which gives it an advantage over competitors.
Finally, we discuss what the future of emoji may hold in store. Faguet says his company is exploring entering the VR and personalized advertising spaces. We also discuss how celebrities are using custom emoji keyboards to market their brands.
With the record highs in pet ownership in recent months, there is a huge emerging market in pet technology. The new halo collar isn't just a smart collar; it's the next-generation dog safety system. Cheddar News sits down with the co-founders of Halo, Cesar Milan and Ken Ehrman, to discuss.
With no end in sight to supply chain snarls, some companies are reconsidering the way they manufacture goods. Harry Moser, founder and president of Reshoring Initiative and Jennifer Smith, logistics and supply chain reporter for the Wall Street Journal, joined Cheddar News' Closing Bell to discuss some of the ways companies are trying to solve their supply chain problems in the long term.
Bitcoin dipped below $40,000 this week amid a broader slump to begin the year. Some speculate that as cryptocurrencies correlate closer to traditional assets that factors like the Federal Reserve tightening monetary policy will weigh on digital coins. Jalak Jobanputra, managing partner at Future Perfect Ventures, joins Cheddar News' Closing Bell to discuss why crypto markets are feeling pressure from the Fed's potential 2022 rate hikes, broader crypto market predictions, and more.
A.I. startup Fractal has raised $360 million in funding, officially entering the unicorn club. Pranay Agrawal, CEO and Co-Founder of Fractal, joined Cheddar News' Closing Bell to discuss what the company plans to do with the fresh capital.
Electric vehicles are quickly becoming an accessible way for consumers to slash emissions as legacy automakers begin to electrify their fleets and world leaders including President Joe Biden push for broad EV adoption. But consumers have concerns about EV range, the availability of charging stations, and more. What if it were both helpful to consumers — and feasible from a climate change standpoint — to keep hybrid models that run on gas on the market? Gill Pratt, CEO of the Toyota Research Institute & Toyota Motor Corporation's Chief Scientist joins Cheddar Climate to discuss his team's research about 'carbon return on investment,' how Toyota is electrifying its fleet, and more.
Fresh off of a $42 million Series B Fundraise, co-founder and CEO of Chapter, Cobi Blumenfeld-Gantz, joined Cheddar to discuss the company's business model and how it will use the capital going forward. He explained that Chapter is a Medicare advisor that searches savings on medical options in order to help users find the right plan for them. "We want to make sure we can help all of our existing members and as many new Americans find the right Medicare coverage, so we're hiring aggressively for the best talent we can," Blumenfeld-Gantz said.
Apple's iMessage has come under fire after a Google executive accused the fellow tech giant of bullying — Android Users. Hiroshi Lockheimer, Google SVP of Android, said that Apple's lack of RCS adoption is holding the industry back while the company uses peer pressure to bolster iMessage.
Fresh off of receiving an innovation award at ShowStoppers @ CES 2022, Iasha King, co-founder of SOLO Secure joined Cheddar to explain how its platforms, the GoSOLO app and the SOLO Backpackpacker device, helps improve personal safety for users. "People just don't know what's going on around them, so it's very important that you're using smart technology to provide them with what's going on," she said. "For example, if there has been an increase in robberies in a neighborhood, that's something that our technology would inform a user."
