Wendy’s showed how a comprehensive understanding of your audience’s media usage can tap into a whole new generation of people engaging with your brand.

Wendy’s Boomerbook campaign

Gen Zers are exploring existentialism and beauty in a whole new way, with this make-up trend enabling them to show emotional vulnerability.

Sad girl make-up

Aida Mariam Davis founded the Decolonize Design framework of Belonging, Dignity, and Justice in response to the perfunctory diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives that various organisations have accepted.

Belonging, Dignity, and Justice

Samsung’s ‘Scene Optimiser’ technology, which uses AI to optimise images, caused controversy with its hyper-detailed pictures of the moon. Users questioned whether a phone could realistically capture that level of detail.

Samsung’s moon shots

Up-and-coming artists are taking advantage of algorithmic knowledge and producing music they know will go viral, bringing into question what it means to be an artist versus a performer. 

Meta-pop music

Artist Shumon Basar describes the way people are creating personal mythologies and lore as a result of their lives online and a ‘global narrative collapse’.

Lorecore

The realities of the loneliness epidemic have grown impossible to ignore, with many pointing to digital-first lifestyles as a driving force of social isolation. But could digital connectivity be leveraged for good to help repair human connection? Canvas8 spoke to Brandon C. Bouchillon to find out.

A cure for loneliness?! The science of digital friendships

Video games have evolved into a dynamic medium for self-expression and community-building, particularly for marginalised players seeking representation. With customisable avatars and immersive environments, gaming offers a unique platform for individuals to explore their identities.

How video games are redefining identity

Fantasy cricket platform Dream11 enjoys consistent loyalty among its more than 200 million users in India, fuelled by AI to bridge gameplay and real-world strategising. Its strategic partnerships with sports icons, while offering real winnings to gamers, turn aspiring spectators into active gamers.

How Dream11 fulfils the IRL fantasies of Indian gamers

Zevia’s seasonal promo taps into the power of authenticity by mocking synthetic reality. In a crowded market, the campaign aims to connect with people seeking trust, transparency, and relatability from brands, offering them an entertaining way to spark timely conversations.

Zevia targets AI fears with natural soda spot

Cadbury 5 star’s ‘Make AI Mediocre Again’ campaign takes aim at the fear of AI increasing pressure to get more work done. Although Indians are optimistic about what AI will mean for them, they're among the most stressed at work and might benefit from AI lightening their load a little.

Cadbury 5 Star campaign scrambles AI training data

French start-up La Vitre’s screen helps link stakeholders within the luxury fashion industry with live translation, close-up product views, and high-resolution life-sized videos. Experts have highlighted that AI and VR will be key disruptive forces for the luxury sector in 2025.

Human-sized video screen transforms luxury fashion

TikTok is placing age restrictions on some of its beauty filters to address concerns about how they impact the mental health of its teenage users. With young people feeling increased pressure to look perfect online, there’s a need for more open dialog to combat toxic beauty standards.

TikTok blocks beauty filters for teens' mental health 

Amazon has launched Rufus, an AI-powered shopping assistant, in beta across Europe. Meeting growing demands for AI in retail experiences, the feature looks to help customers make more informed purchasing decisions, enhancing convenience and efficiency within their shopping journeys.

Amazon AI assistant meets evolving e-shopping desires

Coca-Cola’s iconic 'Holidays Are Coming' ad has made its return for 2024, but this time it’s entirely AI-generated. The modern take on a highly anticipated festive classic has faced major backlash from fans – a reaction that hints at the enduring charm and irreplaceable magic of the human touch.

Coca-Cola’s Christmas ad reinforces AI unease

Smart glasses are back in vogue as tech giants race to dominate the space. Baidu has entered the market with the launch of an AI-powered device that facilitates a range of health and entertainment experiences, offering a cutting-edge alternative to products from brands like Meta and Snap. 

Baidu launches AI-powered smart glasses in China

Hangout is an app that lets users host virtual DJ link-ups and enjoy music with friends. With trust in traditional social platforms waning, brands can lean into customization and personalization to appeal to younger audiences who want greater control and curation over their digital lives.

Hangout entices music fans with virtual DJ spaces

Research has revealed that teens in the US are struggling to identify false information online. It highlights the pressing need to help young people become discerning consumers of information, equipping them with the skills to navigate an increasingly complex media landscape.

US teens are vulnerable to conspiracy theories

Following Donald Trump’s election win, there has been a major uptick in searches relating to his plans to place tariffs on imported goods. This retrospective Googling points to a need for education on digital literacy and misinformation as news consumption becomes more atomized.

Tariff searches point to digital literacy challenges

Analysis of TikTok feeds in the run-up to the US presidential election highlighted a distinct gap in the political content shown to men and women across the platform. With social media serving as a political battleground, the data speaks to a widening ideological divide between genders.

Gender gap emerges in TikTok political content

Accenture’s annual report found that people are increasingly questioning the content and brands they’re engaging with, partly due to the effects of technologies like generative AI. These findings highlight the need for brands to innovate with intention to maintain people's trust.

Trust in brands at risk with increased AI usage

Japanese election candidates are flocking to YouTube Shorts to reach voters. While short videos boost accessibility, there are misinformation concerns about influencers and memes shaping political discourse, resulting in a push for increased media literacy for citizens based in Japan and abroad.

Short-form content boosts voter engagement in Japan

AI role-playing app Character.AI is facing a lawsuit after a teen user’s suicide. While chatbots could offer a solution to loneliness, they pose serious dangers in replacing human relationships, necessitating robust safeguards from tech companies to protect vulnerable users.

Character.AI lawsuit highlights risks of AI chatbots

Fiverr has launched a campaign to remind people that AI tools are only as good as the creatives using them. Encouraging professionals to focus on outcomes rather than the means used to achieve them, it highlights the enduring importance of human expertise in an increasingly AI-driven world.

Fiverr musical seeks to quell fears about using AI

With more Americans turning to social media for political information, political memes have become a powerful force in shaping US voter perceptions and election discourse. The rise of AI-generated memes adds a new layer to this trend, raising concerns about worsening misinformation and polarization.

What’s behind the memefication of American politics?

A London-based concept store is set to rethink the traditional retail space with ‘TikTok-length attention spans’ in mind. As people become more accustomed to and reliant on a constant flow of stimulation, brick-and-mortar stores are evolving to keep pace with the speed of digital culture.

Future Stores revamps retail to mirror online experience

Emerging technologies are reshaping creative processes, highlighting a tension between digital tools and a growing desire for authentic, human-driven output. Canvas8 spoke to cultural insider Sorrel Salb to explore the current trends and developments that are impacting the creative community.

Sorrel Salb on the impact of tech on the creative community

Young Australians are stepping up to support the arts, while galleries are adapting to social and economic pressures. As Indigenous and contemporary works take centre stage, how will the Australian art market respond to these changes?

What does the art market reveal about Gen Z luxury attitudes?

Thousands of celebrity deepfakes are flooding the web, targeting would-be investors with crypto scams. As people look to the fractured digital space as an authoritative source of information and open-source AI models bring deepfakes to the fore, the scam signals a new frontier for disinformation.

Elon Musk deepfake scam stokes disinformation fears

Amid a steep decline in relevancy among younger users, Facebook has launched a redesign aimed at tapping into Gen Z’s evolving relationship with social media. In line with a broader shift towards a 'post-platform' internet culture, the changes emphasise local, community-driven features.

Facebook redesign attempts to win back Gen Z users

Adobe's Content Authenticity app allows digital creatives to protect and authenticate their work. As generative AI continues to challenge the norms of creativity online, this offers an accessible tool that affords people greater control and agency in a landscape in flux.

Adobe offers creators a safeguard for digital work

The Sims' Tiny Town Challenge trend features eight Sims with unique skills living together. It balances individuality with community to appeal to young people's desire for personalisation and belonging, harnessing the medium of gaming to help players feel understood and catered to.

Tiny Town Challenge taps desire for personal community

Aoni Production is partnering with AI start-up CoeFont to create multilingual speech generated from anime voice actors. The feature will be used in voice assistants, suggesting how fandom immersion is playing out beyond entertainment and in many other aspects of people’s everyday lives.

Japanese firms use AI to create anime voice assistants

JobJump, a trending AI tool for interview prep, exemplifies a broader shift toward tech-driven problem-solving. As people seek to outsmart traditional systems, AI assistance in professional settings raises questions about authenticity in a growing culture of using tech to get ahead.

Live AI can help candidates cheat in job interviews

The new dating app After is working to tackle ghosting by encouraging users to be more honest about their reasons for unmatching one another. However, with dating app fatigue at a high, the new app may still not give people the sort of control and choice they’re actually looking for.

Texas-based dating app aims to stop ghosting 

Joy Machine is a London-based event series showcasing AI filmmaking, with ten creators presenting short films highlighting AI’s creative potential. While it celebrates AI's artistic possibilities, it contrasts with broader concerns over AI’s impact on jobs and creativity within film.

Joy Machine curates creativity with AI Film Festival

Passenger numbers are almost back to pre-pandemic levels, but the airline sector is still battling cancellations and delays. Here’s how United Airlines is using technology to boost transparency, personalize its offerings, and improve customer experience even in the face of disruptions.

How United Airlines uses new tech to put travelers first

Gone are the days of grey hoodies and branded fleeces as the de facto uniform of Silicon Valley’s tech bros. Now a formidable group of tech-optimist visionaries wielding vast wealth and power, what do they want? What makes them such divisive figures? And why are people rallying behind them?

Who are the tech bros?

West Cancer Center is the first in the US to begin using ‘hologram’ technology for some of its doctor visits. With rural Americans facing systemic barriers to healthcare, the tech is expanding access to care, providing a deeper connection between patients and doctors to further build trust.  




Hologram tech expands cancer care to rural Americans 

Instagram has recently launched 'Teen Accounts' to offer a safer, more supervised app experience. As Gen Z and Gen Alpha continue to grapple with mental health exacerbated by social media, Big Tech is facing intense scrutiny from the government and parents alike to protect younger users.

Instagram's 'Teen Accounts' put parents in control

For Milan Fashion Week, the Italian label Etro broadcasted its runway show live via the Apple Vision Pro. While spatial computing is still nascent territory for most people, novelty-seeking HNWIs will be looking for cutting-edge phygital experiences as luxury currency.

Etro broadcasts runway show via Apple Vision Pro

Can Labour create a new reality? Will hope shape audience behaviour? Will the AI revolution mean more prosperity? And how can businesses stay connected to the shifting realities of life in the UK? In this Macro chapter of Expert Outlook 2025, Dr Nick Srineck discusses what to expect in the UK in 2025.

2025 Expert Outlook on the UK

AI-powered creative app Verse facilitates fuss-free self-expression by allowing users to create scrollable, shareable, multi-modal mini-sites. While sensitivity remains around how AI will impact human creativity, Verse positions generative technology as an aide to everyday creative potential.

Verse app platforms Gen Z creativity with AI

IKEA is using AI-enabled tech to bridge the gaps between physical and digital shopping, creating a future-oriented retail experience for American customers seeking savings, personalized shopping, and immersive experiences. What does this mean for the shopping landscape in the US moving forward?

Why IKEA uses GenAI and AR to attract American shoppers

By tokenizing assets such as stocks, bonds, and gold, Swarm Markets aims to enable investors to trade more efficiently and cost-effectively. How could this technology revolutionize how professional and retail traders access different assets by providing them with a better experience? 

Why Swarm Markets uses tokenization to empower traders

While virtual K-pop idols have yet to hit the global mainstream, groups like IITERNITI are finding a foothold in South Korea, where Gen Z and Alpha are more open to the possibilities of generative AI. How have they managed to create a solid fanbase while also maintaining a sense of humanity?

How IITERNITI uses tech to grow its AI-curious fanbase

Waves of AI-generated tarot readers have begun popping up on TikTok, hinting at new modes of virtual spirituality. As the world’s relationship with tech evolves, people are seeking solace in the digital space, and while emerging AI tools can offer support, experts stress a need for continued caution.

TikTok tarot bots signal rise of virtual spirituality

Zillow's upgraded AI-powered search lets people describe their ideal home in conversational text, providing tailored recommendations based on millions of listings. Expectations of search and discovery are increasing as AI becomes increasingly used to enhance personalization.

Zillow enhances home search with AI personalization

Will AI put a stop to fashion creativity? Are brands adopting a back-to-basics approach? Can make-do mindsets reignite people’s love for sustainability? In this part of the 2025 Expert Outlook series, we speak to three experts about how people are rethinking fashion experiences for a new age.

2025 Expert Outlook on Fashion and Style

The charitable organization has commenced its annual Game to Change the World campaign aimed at Gen Alpha fundraisers. Gaming has become a pivotal tool in Gen Alpha’s sense-making practices, and young audiences will be expecting more than just immersion when it comes to virtual activations.

Comic Relief US nurtures Gen Alpha changemakers

Telegram groups have been spreading nonconsensual deepfake sexual images across South Korea, and the authorities have vowed to crack down on these sex crimes. Technology offers ample opportunity for abuse, and platforms like Telegram need to find a way to protect their users. 

Korean authorities to crack down on digital sex crimes

Tesla is advancing its Optimus robots by hiring people to gather movement data for their AI training, which aims to automate unsafe or repetitive factory tasks. However, there is research that suggests that more automation could further disengage workers from job satisfaction.

Tesla recruits people to test humanoid suits

As Canva expands its footprint in the UK, its generative AI model is being embraced by creatives using the accessible graphic design platform to increase their productivity and develop their creative potential. With tech-led innovations being adopted by more workers, how are working norms shifting?

How Canva is using AI innovation to empower UK workers

People may get addicted to relationships with voice-activated chatbots, according to OpenAI’s GPT-4o user-testing report. Synthetic interactions reflect back what we want to hear, offering people an idealised image of a relationship and preventing them from developing real-world social skills.

Addictive voice-AI could limit real-world socialisation

Roblox and Distrokid have struck a new deal to make indie artists' music available on the gaming platform – but they won’t be paid any money for their music’s use. The move raises important questions about artist rights and the future of music licensing on interactive entertainment platforms.

Roblox x DistroKid deal sparks debates about artist rights

Noplace is a social media app that has captivated the hearts and minds of socially curious Gen Zers. By providing a platform for creative expression and a valuable way to connect with friends, it evokes nostalgia for early internet communities and fulfills a desire for authentic interaction.

How social platform Noplace is bringing joy to Gen Z

Videos of Gen Y parents hilariously struggling to converse in Gen Alpha lingo are making the rounds online. As younger generations’ niche slang enter the mainstream, there’s an opportunity for brands to play the role of translator and help parents bridge the gap in understanding.

Gen Alpha slang is impacting parent-child dynamics

Warner Bros., Roblox, and Fandango have teamed up to launch a virtual box office for the upcoming Beetlejuice sequel inside of the online gaming platform. Brands are moving onto gamified platforms to reach younger audiences, providing shopping experiences that bring together the physical and virtual.

Warner Bros. taps Roblox to reach new Beetlejuice fans

Instagram has begun to let users create AI versions of themselves, enabling creators and business owners to use AI profiles to talk to followers on their behalf, respond to comments, and chat with followers. Many remain concerned, however, about how the chatbots will engage with user content.

Americans can outsource social comms with Meta's AI 

Spotify has recently expanded its UK offer, introducing video-based courses for users. Initially focusing on music production, the platform has now broadened its educational content to include AI, recognising the growing importance of the technology in today's digital landscape.

Spotify AI video courses democratise AI education

Google is trying to tackle the problem of deepfakes on its search engine, limiting results for nonconsensual imagery – an area which has seen an explosion as a result of new AI technologies. Regulations have been slow to tackle the problem, pointing to a greater need for better protections.

Google tackles deepfake concerns with regulation

Triggered by misinformation around anti-immigrant sentiment, a series of riots erupted across Britain in early August, with protests taking place over a dozen cities throughout the UK. With tensions already high, this incident marks a new era in the salience of political disinformation in the UK.

Disinformation online spurs xenophobic riots in Britain

So-called 'medbeds' are gaining traction on right-wing social media platforms, posed by their fans as a futuristic miracle cure to a range of health issues – despite any evidence in support. New scams are targeting Boomers, pointing to a need for education amid an increase in health anxiety.

Boomers turn to 'medbeds' via right wing disinformation

Short video and live-streaming platforms like Kuaishou and Xiaohongshu are transforming recruitment in China. As live streams transcend e-commerce and entertainment to become an integral part of everyday life for Chinese people, traditional sectors can tap into these mediums to drive engagement. 

Chinese jobseekers turn to live streams to get a leg up

Mitchell and Brown’s DVD player offers owners an affordable, curated entertainment system in an increasingly streaming-saturated world. As ‘slow living’ becomes an aspirational mindset, prompting people to prioritise simplicity, can retro media make a bold comeback to tackle digital fatigue?

How Mitchell and Brown's DVD player taps into nostalgia

A study has found that online memes (specifically ones revolving around coconuts and Mario Kart) are driving major positive sentiment towards Kamala Harris and benefitting her campaign.The memefication of politics on social media is emerging as a way to engage younger voters in the 2024 election.






Memes support major increase in Kamala Harris sentiment 

IKEA has launched its 'Careers Done Different' campaign with a 'Co-Worker Game' that allows players to simulate career progression. This appeals to Gen Zers who often explore their identity through virtual worlds while offering new grads transparency on future prospects in an engaging format.

IKEA work simulator in Roblox entices new hires

Many health-conscious individuals are reducing their alcohol intake and adopting more moderate lifestyles, but what are they looking for in alcohol-free offerings? Canvas8 spoke to Dr. Scott Taylor Jr. about perceptions of low-and-no craft beers and what may lead people to change up their habits.

Do more with less! The science of ‘nolo’ drink perceptions

Beam's AI agents automate social media management, easing the pressure of constant self-promotion. By handling routine tasks, it allows businesses to focus on quality content. This reflects broader trends in AI-assisted content creation, prompting discussions about authenticity and communication.

Beam's AI Agent takes over your social media presence

The 2024-2025 Generational Snapshot of Gen Alpha explores the rise of ‘phygital’ play, how gaming has created an innovative space for socialising and creativity, what it means to be an AI native, and how this cohort is articulating their unique mental health challenges.

2024-2025 Generational Snapshot of Gen Alpha

Prada has launched its campaign for the Qixi Festival – also known as the Chinese Valentine’s Day – that transforms actor Li Xian into an AI boyfriend. Ditching generic gestures towards heritage for locally resonant messaging, the brand effectively positions itself as a true cultural insider.  

Prada’s Qixi campaign fuses AI with hyperlocalism

Liu Yexi is your favourite AI influencer’s favourite AI influencer. With her trademark blend of traditional Chinese elements and modern design sensibilities, the country’s most popular avatar might pave the way for virtual influencers to take over Singles Day, Asia’s biggest online shopping event.

How Liu Yexi humanises AI influencers for social shoppers

Balenciaga is immersing fashion lovers in futuristic mixed reality with an app for the Apple Vision Pro. With this move, the brand is seeking to cement its status as a visionary pioneer while giving the world a taste of what a new era of so-called ‘spatial commerce’ might be like.

Balenciaga presents spatial commerce on Apple Vision Pro

The Sims 4 Lovestruck Expansion Pack allows gamers to play out their relationship ideals with various Sims. As relationship norms diversify and more expansive dynamics mainstream, people want their reality to be reflected in the media they consume and the games they play.

The Sims 4 update celebrates alternative relationships

The sustainable travel platform Byway is using AI software to streamline flight-free journeys. Heightened eco-awareness has piqued interest in slow travel, and as people seek to remove the friction from sustainable options, brands can help support these values through solutions-based tech.

Byway is leveraging AI to help travellers go green

In partnership with Snapchat, Selfridges has launched an augmented reality locker room in its Oxford Street store. As consumers' expectations around experiential shopping continue to grow, brands have the opportunity to merge fandom and technology to enhance storytelling and community engagement.

Selfridges x Snapchat entices experiential shoppers

Mschf Plays Venmo invites fans to join a social experiment-style lottery game. Players collaborate, make secret deals, and form alliances, employing strategies reminiscent of popular shows like The Traitors and Squid Game, and offering users an opportunity to deepen their connections.

Mschf Plays Venmo lottery builds on fan co-participation

South Koreans seek technology that boosts connectivity, increases workplace efficiency through AI, and provides innovative social and entertainment experiences. Their demands drive significant investments in digital infrastructure, allowing brands to focus on trendsetting and immersive experiences.

What do South Koreans want from their tech?

In a bid to protect user privacy, YouTube has launched a feature that allows users to request the removal of AI-generated content that simulates their face or voice. This move aims to ease growing fears over the misuse of AI to create deep fakes and other synthetic media.

YouTube enables users to report deepfakes

Yuriko Koike, governor of Tokyo, has enlisted the help of an AI version of herself to communicate policy decisions and news updates more effectively to constituents. The innovation is undoubtedly practical, but it may seed Japanese people's mistrust of AI and the government’s handling of it.

Tokyo governor speaks to constituents with AI avatar

Rebind is partnering with a team of literary experts to power AI-driven, interactive reading experiences. Amid a growing sense of unease about the role of emerging technology within the arts, the app is positioning AI as a tool that can enhance – not replace – human creativity.

Rebind is bringing literary texts to life with AI

As the application of generative AI expands across entertainment and culture, people continue to feel conflicted about automated creative expression. Canvas8 spoke to seven Americans to understand their feelings about AI’s place in art, writing, music, and generating new ideas.

Are Americans ready for AI creativity?

Though people have grown increasingly comfortable with AI's presence in their lives, they remain uneasy about outsourcing their creative pursuits. With generative art seeping into the mainstream, Canvas8 spoke to nine Britons to find out what they really think about the creative use of AI.

Are Britons ready for AI creativity?

Integral Ad Science has introduced a tool intended to help marketers avoid placing advertisements alongside deepfakes. With the US 2024 Presidential election poised to prompt a surge of deepfakes online, marketers and consumers alike are looking for tools to help them parse reality from fantasy.

Marketers look to avoid advertising alongside deepfakes

How has traditional white masculinity become a cultural cornerstone for Republicans? How are digital platforms helping Republican Christians build communities? And why are they likely to shop from wholly Conservative brands? This Cultural Snapshot of Republican voters explores the key behavioral shifts.

How to understand Republican mindsets: Cultural Snapshot 2024-2025

Chinese livestream platform Tencent has banned AI hosts, citing concerns around deepfakes as the technology becomes more easily available. As low-quality AI content floods the internet, retailers and entertainment platforms alike are taking steps to regulate the technology.

Tencent bans AI hosts from livestreaming 

India's PM Narendra Modi won a third term, but his party lost an outright majority. Luxury spending rises, but the class divide grows. Tech innovations loom but also spread misinformation. Why? This Cultural Snapshot uses local stats to explore behavioural norms shared by people in India in 2024.

A Cultural Snapshot of India: 2024

Social media platform Lemon8 has seen rising popularity in the United States among people seeking algorithmic, carefully curated lifestyle content. But is the app performing based on its appeal, or a broader push by its owner to be a TikTok alternative in the wake of the social media crackdowns?

How Lemon8 is challenging the social media landscape

In the ever-evolving K-pop music landscape, innovation has emerged as a critical factor driving the rise of new groups. This is embodied by the virtual concept of the boy group PLAVE. They offer a unique blend of music and technology to attract listeners looking for new and exciting experiences.

How PLAVE’s virtual K-idols upgrade fandom relationships

Pedigree has won both a Gold Lion and the Outdoor Lions Grand Prix at Cannes Lions for ‘Adoptable’. As people call for an end to purpose washing, the ad lays out a commitment to ensuring – with the help of AI – that all of their campaigns from here forward are purpose-driven.

Pedigree's purpose-driven campaign wins big at Cannes Lions

HBO series Fantasmas has been lauded by critics for its off-beat style of surrealist anti-comedy, which explores societal ills through a dream-like lens. Against a backdrop of ongoing global crises, people are making sense of their troubled realities by leaning into the strange and absurd.

Fantasmas satisfies an appetite for absurdist humour

A few months after updating its terms of service in February 2024, Adobe received significant backlash from customers, fearful that their data would be used to train the company’s Gen AI model, Firefly. The backlash highlights a need for clarity and transparency on AI innovation among consumers.

Adobe backlash highlights Big Tech distrust

The film Challengers, starring Zendaya, Josh O’Connor, and Mike Faist, features a three-way kiss scene that has many people seeking out throuples this summer. Interest in threesomes has surged over the past couple of years, with mainstream media fostering openness to alternative relationships. 

Alt relationships gain acceptance after Challengers

As the US education system strains under the weight of stretched educators, stressed parents and struggling kids, ed-tech companies are launching more bespoke learning resources. Can PowerSchool’s new AI assistant really help ease the pressure on everyone involved?

How PowerSchool uses AI for stress-free online learning

Alexander Wang’s use of celebrity lookalikes and ‘dupes’ of its own bag in a recent ad has stirred controversy. Striking the wrong chord at the intersection of deepfake fear and dupe culture, the ad could serve as a cautionary tale for brands trying to keep up with a rampant consumer trend cycle.

Alexander Wang causes dupe culture controversy

Oreo, a beloved legacy brand since 1912, has maintained its place at the forefront of the snacking industry with bold flavor innovations and immersive marketing campaigns. From VR experiences to creative collaborations, it blends nostalgia with modern technology to engage fans worldwide.

How Oreo’s innovations make snacking playful

Lenovo has powered a thought-provoking social experiment seeking to bridge the gap between Gen Z’s digital and physical identities. Amid deepening concerns around youth mental health, the project outlines the value of exploring smart technologies as tools for advancing emotional wellbeing.

Lenovo uses AI to connect Gen Z to their digital selves

By partnering with Microsoft, Straker is leveraging generative AI to translate New Zealand news articles into te reo Māori – New Zealand’s Indigenous language. While a positive example of AI’s capabilities, capturing cultural context and nuance remains key to quelling consumer fears.

Straker uses AI to translate news into te reo Māori

Walmart’s e-commerce platform takes online shopping to a whole new dimension, with a range of outlandish virtual ‘bazaars’ selling influencer-curated products. While some retailers have dialed back on the metaverse, Walmart is full steam ahead with its virtual storefronts.

Walmart Realm offers immersive virtual shopping worlds

An image has gone viral on social media, with tens of millions of users reposting it to bring attention to the ongoing crisis in Gaza. As people come to terms with generative AI's role in content creation, this image brings up questions of censorship and moderation within issues of social justice.

AI-generated graphic goes viral in support of Gaza

The popular manga Haikyu! has been transformed into an anime and now a feature film. But this series doesn't exist in isolation among otakus and weebs – it's fostering new volleyball fans and players who are inspired by the show's emphasis on friendship and overcoming obstacles.

Manga inspires young fans to become involved in sports

Lifecycle

People are processing a synthetic reality