Recent years have seen a steep decline in marriage and births in China, with many challenging the government's desire to boost these rates. In that vein, the government has launched a state-sponsored dating app, sparking mixed reactions and debate on the reach of the state into private life. 

State-led dating app sparks privacy concerns in China

High noise levels in Canadian restaurants have led to some employees suffering hearing loss. Sound-level review app SoundPrint, which took off in the hearing health community, lists quieter ones while helping establishments bring their volume down and their customers back.

SoundPrint steers Canadians away from noisy restaurants

The introduction of streaming services and social media has upended the role of TV in our lives, with viewers craving shared media and entertainment experiences at home, across devices. Where are the opportunities for TV amid technological innovation and evolving consumer expectations?

How are tech trends altering Gen Z’s TV consumption?

Apple has announced the launch of a music streaming app that focuses exclusively on classical music, taking an unconventional approach by siloing the genre on its own platform. As overstimulation takes hold, many people are looking for platforms that provide a specialist focus and output.

Apple Music provides discovery for classical fans

A meme featuring multitasking with a Family Guy compilation has risen slowly to virality over 2023, poking fun at a collective dependence on constant stimulation. People are beginning to address the effects of endless scroll behaviors on their mental health and attention spans.


'Family Guy' multitasking meme points to overstimulation

As the demand for health and wellness products grows, FitJab ensures that Muslim women are not excluded from their lifestyle benefits. The culturally-aware app provides Muslim women with challenging home workout routines that eliminate the religious obstacle of entering male-dominated gyms.

FitJab promotes inclusive exercise for Muslim women

Developed using AI, TikTok’s ultra-realistic Bold Glamour filter has garnered widespread criticism for perpetuating toxic beauty standards. Alongside the fuss surrounding ChatGPT, the backlash also speaks to people’s bubbling anxieties about AI encroaching upon human identities.

TikTok's viral Bold Glamour filter spurs AI panic

Classical opera's historical reputation for inaccessibility is being challenged by a modern reinterpretation of the Italian classic, Turandot. The fusion of digital art and classical opera promises a singular, unforgettable, and immersive experience that resonates with contemporary audiences.

Opera is brought into the 21st century in Tokyo

Whether it’s researching holidays on Pinterest or using ChatGPT to create email templates, internet users are no longer reliant on conventional search engines when sourcing information. Canvas8 spoke to eight Britons to understand how they’re seeking answers to their queries on the web.

How do Britons search for information online?

From ChatGPT to Reddit and TikTok, people are diversifying how they seek information in a fragmented tech landscape. Canvas8 spoke to eight Americans about their opinions on conventional search engines and the alternatives they use to obtain accurate and customized answers on the web.

How do Americans search for information online?

Duolingo is tackling illiteracy from a young age by offering free, fun, and engaging English lessons to children in India. By leaning into the engaging aspect of edtech, Duolingo ABC funnels UNICEF's education goals into classrooms and homes, elevating learning for kids at a grassroots level.

Duolingo ABC gives Indian children an educational boost

Mexican convenience store Oxxo has opened its first cashier-less store, allowing customers to grab and go with ease. The store is testing out the tech's efficacy before expanding its smart store locations, leaning into people’s desire for immediate gratification while navigating tech safety concerns.

Oxxo smart store brings frictionless shopping to Mexico

TikTok is imposing a 60-minute time limit for under-18 users, addressing concerns about the impact of its addictive nature on teens. With growing concerns about screen-time management, parents are increasingly expecting social platforms themselves to shoulder responsibility.

TikTok daily limit addresses teen screen time concerns

Avanti West Coast has launched a dedicated communication channel to assist disabled travellers on their commutes. Through the integration of WhatsApp, customers will be able to receive prompt support to ensure that their impairments have no bearing on the smoothness of their journeys.

Avanti West Coast simplifies accessible travel

The UnLitter app aims to encourage a community-driven approach to rubbish collection in Durham to boost the county’s appeal. With its gamified rewards system, the app not only fosters a culture of sustainability but also tangible benefits such as discounts at local establishments.

UnLitter gamifies litter collection in Durham

Streaming has hit a plateau with high churn and return rates, price hikes, and the threat of short-form video. Yet, American Gen Yers continue to invest in subscription video on demand services. What do their viewing habits look like? And what hidden opportunities are there for brands to tap into?

What do Gen Y Americans value in SVOD platforms?

Tinder has launched a campaign aimed at Gen Zers that celebrates the unorthodox ways they experience and define romance. With dating app fatigue growing across multiple generations as people struggle to make connections online that become meaningful IRL, the online dating sphere is pivoting.

Unconventional Gen Z daters cause Tinder to pivot

Motorola has partnered with the Lenovo Foundation to expand its Indigenous languages digital inclusion initiative with two endangered languages spoken in India. As national and cultural heritage becomes increasingly important, people are looking for ways to halt unnecessary erasure.

Motorola adds Indian endangered languages to its phones

Spotify has upped its AI-based playlist personalisation by adding a DJ function with a radio-style voice that guides users through music discovery. However, it has been criticised as irritating by some users, which could encourage others to consider whether they should jump on the AI bandwagon.

Spotify launches divisive AI-powered DJ service

As AI increasingly seeps into everyday life, emerging tech seems to orbit around these developments. However, do we really need more Alexa-style gadgets in our homes? Canvas8 spoke to digital sociologist Yolande Strengers to understand what kind of tech people really want in their households.

Yolande Strangers on what people want from smart homes

Celebrating the World Day of Social Justice, UNESCO, Bombay, and Racismo MX launched a campaign in Mexico challenging racism and AI bias. With public concern about AI growing as we become more code-dependent, this campaign invites people and brands to challenge structural racism.

UNESCO challenges structural AI racism in Mexico

Porsche’s Roads app has been updated to use AI that seeks out roads that are fun to drive for their own sake, letting users seek out the scenic route. Many Americans are falling back in love with their cars after the pandemic and are looking for brands to help facilitate IRL discovery.

Porsche drivers can use AI to make driving more fun

There is no substitute for therapeutic care or the love of close friends and family at a sorrowful time. But digital innovations like AI therapy bots, after-loss software, and even video games are attempting to bridge the gap between the support we need and that which is accessible.

How is AI changing experiences of grief?

People are increasingly feeling as though generative AI isn’t just a fad but rather will become a part of their daily lives – even if they don’t fully trust it. While generally cautious about the technology, a desire remains for the automation and simplification of everyday tasks AI can provide.

Despite distrust, consumers seek AI for daily use

Babblebots.ai is a GPT3-powered recruitment platform that's raising questions about the implications of AI-influenced recruitment and the future of work. Amid economic turbulence, dwindling corporate trust, and concerns around data privacy, AI might be convenient but it's still causing concerns.

Babblebots raises questions about AI's influence at work

The femtech market is experiencing steady growth in Japan, yet in terms of gender equality, the country ranks at the bottom of the pile compared to other G7 nations. What’s contributing to femtech’s growth in the country? And how will it evolve within a society considered traditionally conservative?

Why is femtech gaining traction in Japan?

Dateability is an app that helps people with different abilities and chronic illnesses find love in a safe and satisfying way. Made by and for disabled people, the app is removing barriers in the dating world and bringing forward underrepresented identities to facilitate love and relationships.

Chronically ill and disabled find love via Dateability

Revyze is a short-form video platform that mimics TikTok, with a focus on high-school educational content for teenagers. As students’ attitudes to education continue to evolve post-pandemic, how are tech-led platforms preparing them for the future and creating alternative pathways for learning?

Revyze: the TikTok of French edtech

Concerns around data have made people more distrustful of tech. Despite this, companies like Spotify are winning people over via a humanised approach to data handling, with users enjoying the packaging of their data in ways that reveal deeper insights into who they are.

Is humanised data winning people over?

Many Gen Zers are reporting not being given digital training at work because they are seen as already tech-savvy. However, this can lead to workers feeling ill-equipped to voice their needs for support – ushering in a need to support young with career-specific digital literacy.

Gen Zers feel imposter syndrome around workplace tech

Chapter Two offers an empathetic return to the dating scene for widows who are ready to love again. Unlike the fast-paced swipe culture of most dating apps, the platform prioritises a sense of community healing, the openness of which is representative of changing attitudes towards death.

Chapter Two helps widows return to the dating scene

Coppel, Mexico’s largest department store, has debuted a mobile wallet app – helping close some gaps for unbanked Mexicans. Many Mexican citizens distrust financial institutions, but brands with public buy-in may be able to provide access to financial tools for those who don't have a bank account.

Brand recognition builds trust with unbanked Mexicans

Instagram co-founders Kevin Systrom and Mike Krieger have launched Artifact, a curated news app driven by AI. While taking cues from the vertical video revolution currently taking over social platforms, it aims to go beyond personalisation by redefining the online reading experience altogether.

Artifact uses AI to curate personalised news feeds

Canadian company Gusto TV has started the production of the world's first show featuring on-screen characters generated through AI software. The pursuit highlights emergent opportunities for AI's integration into the media industry and beyond, demonstrating how the tech can work alongside people.

Gusto TV produces first show featuring AI characters

When OpenAI released ChatGPT to the public, the text generator made a clear case for the sheer disruptive force of AI – making it apparent that such technology will change the way we experience information and engage with brands. But major challenges remain before AI elbows humans out of the way.

How is AI changing the way brands engage their audiences?

Bondee – a metaverse-like app developed by Singaporean tech firm Metadream – has struck a chord among social media users in Southeast Asia. Thanks to its accessible design, trendy aesthetics, and highly customisable worlds, Bondee might just be the app to win over Web3 sceptics in the region.

Metadream virtual world courts Web3 sceptics in Singapore

A survey of Microsoft workers has found support for the automation of simple tasks using AI. While the survey points to the benefits AI can offer, questions are being asked about how to balance AI automation in the workplace without impacting human creativity and stability.

Microsoft employees want AI to deal with menial tasks

Bradford has upped its efforts to tackle violence against women by partnering with the personal safety app WalkSafe. The landmark move reflects mounting concerns over women’s safety, as well as the city’s acknowledgement that the effectiveness of existing institutions is declining.

Bradford rolls out WalkSafe to improve safety for women

After noticing its customers and contributors experimenting with AI in their projects, Shutterstock has launched an online design platform using OpenAI. People are able to create images from text-based prompts, allowing them to receive custom images for their exact needs.

Shuttershock enables custom images through AI platform

Bumble has partnered with Netflix to launch a weekly in-app trivia game to encourage singles to chat with their matches about new shows. Dating app fatigue has people wanting easier icebreakers, and as a struggling economy makes dinner dates more expensive, singles are less willing to waste time.

Bumble uses Netflix quiz to fight dating app fatigue

DDB has revealed that major search engines are reducing the visibility of female athletes through inaccurate information, perpetuating gender inequality within the sporting world. There's a responsibility for brands to identify and remove gender bias and lead with more inclusive representation.

Search engines found to enforce gender bias in sport

For many Gen Zers, the lines between real life and virtual experiences are increasingly fading. But despite being digitally native, they have specific attitudes about the ways they’ll allow technology into their daily routines. How can brands meet the refined digital needs of this generation?

What do Gen Z Americans want from tech?

Smart home technology is being incorporated into people's living spaces as effortlessly as everyday household appliances. As the sector sees growth and innovation, Matter is helping users overcome digital fatigue by creating seamless networks of gadgets within their homes.

Matter: simplifying smart home set-ups

High rates of students using AI to write their assignments are worrying universities and forcing them to adopt new strategies to tackle the problem. As generative AI becomes increasingly adopted, its wider diffusion may further undermine people's capacity to discern what's real and what’s not.

Universities are gearing up to deal with AI plagiarism

An AI-rendered fashion show showcasing elderly African models is gaining attention for challenging the cultural hegemony around beauty and ageing in fashion. The project is also highlighting the disruptive potential of AI through democratising access to creative industries.

AI-generated fashion show showcases beauty in ageing

TikTok is expanding its e-commerce presence by opening up its storefront opportunities in twelve new markets. With the app’s dominance in both entertainment and search, it's building a presence that people are increasingly reliant on and is leaning into the new attention economy.

TikTok shopfront roll-out streamlines online shopping

The global femtech industry has boomed in recent years, with start-ups solving everything from hormonal health to postpartum care. However, inequalities in areas like access and affordability remain. How can brands and businesses continue to bridge the healthcare gap for all women?

Why are women pushing for the next gen of femtech?

Tinder has launched a First Date Fortunes campaign, capitalising on the approaching Lunar New Year and popularity of astrology to bring astro-dating guidance to singles. This move comes amid brand efforts to ensure cultural authenticity, calling into question this more trivial approach.

Tinder taps Chinese astrology to guide singletons

As we move towards increasing engagement with art online, tech is proving increasingly influential in people’s cultural consumption. But how exactly are buyers using algorithms to discover and appreciate art? Can trust in NFTs be repaired? And in what ways are digital spaces democratising art?

How is tech changing the luxury art market?

In a bid to limit mind-numbing and time-consuming tasks for employees, Codeword has hired two AI interns to streamline internal processes. The move reignites concerns about technology replacing human jobs while showcasing how AI can reduce menial tasks so people can focus on important work.

Codeword hires AI interns to reduce menial work tasks

Following increasingly common problems with lost luggage, there has been a massive increase in interest in Apple's location-enabled AirTags. The surging interest in the gadget signals shifting travel expectations, as convenience and peace of mind become a priority for those in transit.

AirTag sales boom as travelers prioritize peace of mind

Across the Netherlands, Wasteless is implementing its AI-informed pricing system to reduce grocery store food waste. This tech allows for effortless participation in a sustainable practice for shoppers, as well as helping to keep prices low – helping to ensure that cost doesn't harm people's ethics.

Wasteless uses dynamic AI-pricing to reduce food waste

L’Oréal has acquired a stake in Korean temporary tattoo start-up Prinker to further its mission of advancing beauty tech that champions self-expression. With evolving ideals of beauty, people are increasingly seeking out products and services that help them showcase their unique identities.

L’Oréal x Prinker brings personalisation to beauty tech

ChatGPT has proved a disrupter in the world of search, and now Microsoft is bringing the conversational AI technology to Bing. Despite concerns of inaccuracies, the chatbot is shifting perceptions and building trust in how AI can be utilised to solve pain points without causing data-based fear.

Bing plans ChatGPT integration to elevate search 

Halo has rolled out a wearable sleep aid for babies, helping parents be at ease while their babies rest. The product demonstrates how people are outsourcing parts of their lives for peace of mind but raises questions about just how much data people are willing to share about their newborn children.

Tech wearables for newborns hope to ease parent concerns

As blockchain tech continues to expand (and experience growing pains), brands and individuals are experimenting with how it can facilitate creativity, community, and commercialisation. Canvas8 spoke to Trevor Zaucha and Colin Agur at the University of Minnesota about the nuances of branded NFTs.

Score – an NFT! The science of tokenised fandom

Walmart’s Text to Shop service makes grocery shopping an achievable task for busy parents. Banking on the appeal of its familiar interface, it's hoped that the app will convert traditionally skeptic Americans into online shoppers through the promise of a freed-up schedule for family time.

Walmart streamlines online shopping for busy families

BrXnd.ai gives people the power to come up with their own brand collaborations, no matter how weird and unlikely they might be. The platform satiates the desire for personalisation and helps fans feel they've actively contributed to whatever culture it is they love to consume.

BrXnd.ai lets users dream up endless brand collabs

Major record label Warner Music Group has partnered with digital fashion platform DressX. The partnership allows artists to boost financial perks through digital merch and will also enable fans to explore music subcultures and experiment with their identity in a new age of fandom collaborations.

WMG courts music fans with digital merchandise

The South West Grid for Learning has launched an app called Minerva to tackle the worrying rise of revenge porn in the UK. Through the platform, victims will be able to take matters into their own hands and anonymously compile a detailed diary of evidence that can be given to police.

Minerva app empowers victims of revenge porn

From what we buy, to what we watch, and even who we date – algorithms increasingly influence people’s decisions. Once largely unknown and invisible forces, people now have a greater understanding of what algorithms do and are beginning to wonder how much control to cede to the machine.

Why we’re entering a new era of algorithmic anxiety

Sri Lanka’s expected tourism boom is set to coincide with the launch of a mobile travel safety app. While the easing of restrictions has sparked a renewed interest in global exploration, the introduction of added safety measures highlights the lingering travel hesitation after the pandemic.

Tourist safety app eases travel anxiety in Sri Lanka

In its annual conference in India, Google announced a Google Lens feature that will allow users to understand doctors' handwriting with the touch of a button. Though a bit gimmicky, the innovation is a reminder of the value of simplicity and the need for accessibility in tech solutionism.

Google Lens feature makes sense of doctors' handwriting 

Bumble is on a mission to expand its women-first dating approach across markets. Using culturally-nuanced campaigns, the brand aims to challenge gendered dating norms across Asia and normalise online dating as a safe and meaningful way to form the healthy romantic connections people are seeking.

Bumble tackles gendered dating norms in Asia

DoNotPay looks to save people time and money with a chatbot that removes the back-and-forth with customer service representatives. Responding to a growing willingness from people to trust in – and hand over control to – AI tools to make better decisions amid the cost of living crisis.

DoNotPay chatbot automates people’s bill negotiations 

Is the metaverse still the future of gaming? How much are people really willing to trust Big Tech with their data? Who is being left behind by the health tech boom? In this part of the 2023 Expert Outlook, we speak to three experts about how people are responding to the new tech in their lives.

2023 Expert Outlook on Technology

In the ever-changing world of NFTs, utility is becoming an increasing demand for collectors of digital art. Through a partnership with Nike, RTFKT is facilitating this jump to phygital offerings in the Web3 consumer market, using advanced technology to bring its metaverse sneakers tangibly to life.

RTFKT: bringing metaverse sneakers to life

The Vodafone Foundation has launched a community-reporting app in a bid to tackle the rising number of LGBTQ+ hate crimes in the UK. Zoteria will connect victims to specialist resources such as charities and provide an alternative to the police who have historically let the community down.

Zoteria app aims to tackle LGBTQ+ hate crimes

While travelling alone should not be a dangerous activity, reports of women suffering abuse on their journeys continue to rise. Launched in Cardiff, the RideSafe taxi app empowers women to choose whether they prefer a male or female driver, rather than take their chances with someone pre-selected.

RideSafe empowers Cardiff women to choose their drivers

Married couples in India are suggesting that their smartphone usage is compromising the quality of leisure time they spend with their partner. However, research shows that people want to change this, indicating behaviours shifting towards a desire for more meaningful moments away from tech.

Married Indian couples want to reduce their screen time

NARS has introduced a trio of AI-powered brand ambassadors in a lipstick campaign. Reflecting consumer interest in futuristic tech while offering elevated personalisation with relatable metahumans, brands can use AR and digital experiences to elevate relationships with their tech-savvy audiences.

Metahuman models feature in NARS lipstick campaign

Web3 platform Spatial allows brands and creators to design their own spaces and events in the metaverse, for entertainment, business, or educational purposes. With confusion and apprehension still surrounding virtual reality, how are digital platforms making immersive experiences more accessible?

Spatial: collaborative spaces for metaverse communities

A survey has revealed that Gen Z Americans have a complicated relationship with targeted online advertising – as many are ambivalent towards privacy in that context. This cohort's attitude toward branding is also inconclusive, highlighting the importance of nuanced approaches.

Gen Z is ambivalent toward targeted ads and branding

Research indicates that men who access the health platform Man Therapy report a decrease in depression. Amid global crises, providing support for mental health is essential and brands have an opportunity to leverage digital health to provide accessible solutions and encourage help-seeking.

Research highlights efficacy of mental health tech

AI photo generator Lensa AI has risen to the top of the App Store, offering users the ability to generate 'magic avatars' for themselves using AI technology. Conversations about AI are evolving and people appear willing to share their information in exchange for the convenience offered by the tech.

Lensa AI's 'magic avatars' spur debate over AI ethics

Apple's ad campaign, The Greatest, has been celebrated for spotlighting accessibility features across a range of its devices amid setbacks among other tech and social media companies. With billions of people requiring assistive products, there's a demand for innovation from brands.

Apple celebrates accessibility features in inclusive ad

Amid widespread tech layoffs, an Australian fund is inspiring the recently out-of-work to bid for investment into founding their own company. As labour cuts leave ex-employees anxious, stressed, and frustrated, Funded Not Fired is working to help people turn advertising into an advantage.

Founded Not Fired reframes lay-offs as opportunities

The role of the artist alongside emerging technologies has ushered in feelings of unease and fear. Holly Herndon demonstrates the opportunity for creativity through her vocal clone Holly+, sparking conversations around the release of IP and shifting ownership desires in the digital landscape.

Holly+ challenges meaning of digital art ownership

Mercedes-Benz has introduced a subscription fee for access to increased acceleration on some of its cars, the first such program for a functional aspect of a vehicle. Brands in various sectors are creating revenue streams with subscriptions, but signs point to consumer hesitancy and frustration.

Mercedes' subscription service tests drivers' patience

Gen Y parenting underwent a drastic evolution during the pandemic, with kids’ digital engagement hitting an all-time high and parents increasingly concerned about screen time and apps they don’t understand. How can brands help them feel better supported when it comes to child safety controls?

How are parents navigating child safety controls?

Younger generations are feeling a plethora of pressures, and in China they're using digital Buddhist apps to find some comfort in rituals. Despite not considering themselves Buddhist, many are yearning for spaces that provide emotional support, whether that is on or offline.

Young Chinese citizens turn to apps to boost mindfulness

Food company Barilla is spearheading the passive cooking trend off the back of the cost of living crisis. Its smart home device is changing the way consumers engage with food prep, enabling them to save money on their household gas bills while encouraging the adoption of sustainable cooking habits.

Barilla: passive cooking for budgeting Britons

Google has launched an AR-based technology that allows people to test out different foundation shades against 148 diverse models to help people find the most suitable palette for their skin tone. During the cost of living crisis, helping people to legitimise their purchases is essential.

Google boosts confidence of beauty shoppers with AR tech

In what appears to be a step towards depoliticisation, Facebook is removing four information fields from profiles. These fields include religious views, political affiliations, and the 'interested in' field used to express sexual orientation. However, some could see the move as denying self-expression.

Facebook removes information fields to bridge divides

Amazon Clinic is a virtual care service that connects people with affordable care options as and when they need them. As demands for affordable, personalized, and quality care increase, providers that offer easy-to-use and accessible telehealth services can help to plug healthcare gaps. 

Amazon Clinic provides accessible telehealth services

Yonder is a storytelling app that uses serialized fiction as a way to engage and intrigue modern readers, building communities around literature and common interests. As people search for more considered ways to unwind, can apps like Yonder help audiences find fresh forms of escapist entertainment?

Yonder: serialized fiction for modern readers

Vimcal is aiming to reinvent the calendar app with the time-pressed nature of modern life in mind. With advanced features, the app provides a glimpse into the evolution of productivity platforms and speaks directly to those with elevated speed and efficiency expectations from brands.

Vimcal optimizes people's time with modern calendar app

The UK has one of the most expensive housing markets in the world, leaving Generation Rent feeling hopeless about their home-owning prospects. But through social media-savvy content and resources that encourage property discovery, Boomin is hoping to reignite dreams of ownership for Gen Yers.

Boomin: engaging Generation Rent in the housing market

In the wake of Elon Musk's Twitter takeover, hundreds of thousands of people are signing up for Mastadon, an alternative that's billionaire-free. As people become tired of legacy social media platforms, they're prioritising community-operated spaces that allow for co-creation and moderation.

Musk's takeover of Twitter sees users flood Mastodon

Asics has partnered up with Solana for a Web3-focused sneaker campaign. The collection integrates blockchain technology with traditional rewards incentives to highlight the practical benefits of NFTs in the real world, potentially appealing to those who remain skeptical about the technology.

Asics and Solana appeal to fitness fanatics with NFTs

WhatsApp has launched a communities feature on its platform to give people greater access and control to group building and management. The move pays heed to the growing prevalence of digital communities as a key element of how people engage with each other and with brands. 

WhatsApp launches group features for community fans

Ahead of the 2022 holiday season, Google has updated its search tool to help shoppers find the best deals on gifts to beat rising inflation. People are eagerly looking for bargains due to the cost of living crisis, and they'll likely appreciate brands that help them compare prices across platforms.

Google Search update simplifies holiday bargain hunting

McCain Foods has teamed up with Roblox and Bored & Hungry to educate young people about regenerative farming practices. While younger generations are often interested in contributing to tackling climate change, a lack of sufficient knowledge and skills needs addressing to close the inaction gap.

McCain fills climate knowledge gaps via Roblox

As hybrid working ushers in a range of digital services to streamline people's working lives, many still come with their share of challenges. Graphic design platform Canva is looking to provide a solution, prioritising the needs of individuals and businesses alike through accessible design tools.

Canva: streamlining work through accessible design tools

Gucci's experimental Vault concept store has launched a pop-up on The Sandbox, making it one of the first major fashion brands to jump into the metaverse. The label's venture into gamified experiences hints at new possibilities for customer service and interactivity in digital luxury. 

Gucci's Vault considers what metaverse luxury looks like

For the 2022 Diwali festive period, HP moved beyond simple ad creation and opened many of its stores across India to artisans and their work. Aiming to do something meaningful that accurately reflects values and beliefs, the campaign focused on creating a sense of community and connection.

HP forges community connection with IRL Diwali campaign 

As the first digitally native generation, Gen Zers are used to social media being a vital part of the way they communicate. While increasing online behaviors can have their pitfalls, Locket is one app helping to foster more meaningful offline connections that take place outside of social media.

Locket: fostering deeper offline connections for Gen Z

FITFCK, the dating app that connects like-minded fitness enthusiasts, has received an undisclosed investment from OnlyFans founder Tim Stokely. As people are increasingly looking for a strong sense of collectivity, dating apps can help like minded-people find romance in community-building. 

FITFCK builds a community for single fitness aficionados

Google’s Project Starline is undergoing testing in the real world, offering an augmented reality alternative to video calls. People are reconsidering the future of work in the context of advancing tech and are looking for companies in this space to provide novel – and comfortable – solutions.

Google revamps video calls to foster closer connections

Digital banking service Step has introduced access to cryptocurrencies via its investment platform, specifically educating teens with an entry point into investing. Gen Zers are looking for a way to gain investing skills early in life and are looking for fintech to support their financial education.

Step offers Gen Z crypto access alongside education

People want tech to take away the micro irritations of daily life