Uber's New Service Will Let You Travel Like a Local
If TripAdvisor met Yelp, that would be Uber Local, a new product the taxi hailing company is working on.
“We use real-time data of our trips, obviously in an aggregate way, to show the hot spots to show where most Ubers are dropping people off,” Alex Otrezov, Uber’s head of search and examination, told Cheddar in a recent interview. “Whether points of interests, or restaurants, whatever it may be, we want to make sure that we share that data with our users.”
The executive unveiled the product at eTail West 2018 on Tuesday. Uber Local’s technology would allow it to predict social trends based on time and seasons and personalize the data for each user.
Otrezov said Uber is pushing its real-time technology business model further in developing this personalized operating system. He says that Uber Local aims both to make traveling easier and to enhance the local experience.
“The way we move more into personalization is kind of knowing whether there’s a specific event going on and creating auto-generating ads for that audience,” he said. “And really moving into that space where we can actually tell them, ‘Hey, are you looking to go to Coachella?... Take an Uber.’”
Parallel Systems has been selected to receive $4.5 million from the Department of Energy for an advanced testing program of its autonomous, battery-electric rail vehicles. The startup, which has raised more than $53 million to date, was founded by former SpaceX engineers to reimagine the rail system by creating a more efficient, decarbonized freight network. Matt Soule, Co-founder & CEO of Parallel Systems, joined Cheddar's Opening Bell to discuss what the company hopes to achieve.
A bipartisan bill introduced by U.S. Senators Amy Klobuchar (D-MN) and Cynthia Lummis (R-WY) aims to tackle the spread of misinformation on social media platforms, as well as the addictive nature of the sites and negative mental health impacts they have on users. The 'Nudge Act' would require studies to find and compile potential interventions that platforms could use to encourage people to think before they share a post, or log off after spending too much time on an app. The FTC would create rules based on these findings, and hold the platforms accountable. But will it work? Jesse Lehrich, co-founder of Accountable Tech, joins Closing Bell to discuss the bill, whether real results and regulations could come from it, and more.
A.I.-based entertainment company, Deedub, recently raised
$20 million in a Series A round, led by Insight Partners. Deepdub uses A.I. technology to automate the dubbing process for foreign-language movies or TV shows, while using actors' original voices. The company says it can take just two to three minutes of data from an actor's voice and transform the voice into a different language. The funding comes as foreign-language films and shows like Netflix's 'Squid Game' have recently become more popular with audiences in the U.S. and around the world. Oz Krakowski, Chief Revenue Officer at Deepdub, joins Cheddar News' Closing Bell to discuss.
