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Sounds super. The future is here, folks. ICYMI, the internet’s been set ablaze this past week with claims that scientists have finally synthesized a room-temperature superconductor. And before you ChatGPT what the heck that means (don’t worry, we did too), we’ll spell it out for you — it’s one of the most sought-after goals in all of materials science and physics. The holy grail, if you will. The only catch? The proof is still TBD. Stay tuned…
In other news… Movie delays make theater business tricky, AI job recruiters, and MrBeast sues his burgers.
Top Trends
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ENTERTAINMENT
Nothing to see here // Illustration by Kate Walker
Movie delays put theaters at risk… again
The Future. With dual strikes rocking Hollywood, studios are starting to move their biggest films to 2024, leaving theaters without more blockbusters to show this year (COVID all over again). The delays are coming as top theater chains are already struggling financially and the domestic box office is still down 20% from pre-COVID levels — bad news for everyone in the entertainment industry. To keep cinemas afloat, studios may need to lean on alternative forms of promotion, such as live fan events, community screenings, and viral marketing stunts.
Push problems
If studios push their big movies to next year, Barbenheimer may be the last hurrah at the cinema in 2023.
The dual release of Barbie and Oppenheimer has been a huge win for theaters, with AMC reporting July 21st to 27th was the best week in the chain’s 103-year history.
With people excited to go back to theaters and see trailers for upcoming movies, cinemas want to build off that momentum.
But it may be short-lived as studios begin to reschedule big releases due to the strikes complicating promotional pushes and leaving fall festivals starless.
That’s bad news for theaters, especially as AMC (the largest chain in the US) says it’s running out of cash, and Regal parent company Cineworld is just exiting bankruptcy.
Rescheduled films include Sony’s Ghostbusters: Afterlife and Kraven the Hunter and Amazon’s Challengers. Perhaps more adversely, Warner Bros. is considering postponing Dune: Part Two, Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom, and The Color Purple.
No wonder Tom Cruise called into the actors negotiations with the AMPTP, urging the union to allow actors to promote completed films for the health of theaters.
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ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE
Applicant code // Illustration by Kate Walker
Job applicants now have to impress AI
The Future. If you thought landing a job interview was already hard, it’s only getting harder — AI chatbots are now conducting preliminary interviews. While the system may be more efficient for hiring companies, they have the potential to lead to major headaches for applicants. But it seems like Pandora’s Box is already wide open… and the only way to combat the rise of chatbots might be to use one yourself.
The chatbot will see you now
AI is increasingly becoming companies’ first line of defense in hiring.
McDonalds, Wendy’s, CVS Health, and Lowe’s all use Paradox’s Olivia chatbot.
L’Oréal and Deloitte use one called Mya.
Sears, Dell, and Sony use text-message chatbots created by Sense.
Some companies are even using a system called RecruitBot, which scrapes LinkedIn and other job databases to surface potential candidates (like swiping on Hinge).
While companies view the use of chatbots as a great way to cut costs (HR is usually the first to go), labor analysts worry about the biases these systems could have against applicants of different ethnicities or genders, or against anyone who has a disability, a medical condition, or trouble speaking English. In fact, a new law in NYC is trying to combat this very thing.
And those biases are a huge deal, especially when many of the chatbots are used to screen applicants for entry-level positions. When things get buggy — as Forbes details — job seekers don’t have a flesh-and-blood person to turn to for help.
But maybe that’s the point — ChatGPT is coming for those entry-level jobs, anyway.
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Fungtion’s newest product, the Kanna Elixir, is our latest obsession in the magical world of mushrooms and adaptogens. Some of Kanna’s benefits include:
Positive mood shifts and increased sense of calm
More feelings of empathy and compassion
Relief from stress and insomnia
Try it and see how you feel — then let us know!
FOOD & DRINK
Apparently not what they look like // Courtesy of MrBeast Burgers
MrBeast sues his burgers
The Future. Jimmy Donaldson, aka MrBeast, the most popular YouTuber on the planet, is suing Virtual Dining Concepts (VDC), the ghost kitchen behind his MrBeast Burgers, because, well, they’re apparently “disgusting” and unsanitary. That’s quite the 180 from the vibe of his triumphant brick-and-mortar opening at the American Dream Mall in New Jersey. But the drama may be proof that managing quality across a loose chain of kitchens is a haphazard, if not nearly impossible, task.
Inedible influence
MrBeast is torching the ghost kitchen charged with making his branded burgers.
MrBeast’s lawsuit alleges (with plenty of evidence) VDC has served burgers that are raw and “inedible,” in unbranded packaging, and delivered late.
The reviews are brutal, with MrBeast claiming the “revolting” burgers have done serious harm to his brand — virtual MrBeast Burger restaurants have a ratings average of less than two stars.
He says he shared his concerns with VDC, but the company was more focused on expansion than quality control (1,700 restaurants were fulfilling orders as of last year).
Donaldson now wants to be granted the right to end the partnership altogether, especially considering he “has not received a dime” from the partnership.
VDC has clapped back, of course, stating MrBeast’s allegations are fake and the lawsuit was only filed after the YouTuber tried to renegotiate his contract (to take more control of the brand) and was rebuffed. VDC even claimed MrBeast’s brand popularity was fueled “in part because of the MrBeast Burger brand itself.”
We’ll see how this all shakes out… but, in the meantime, VDC proclaims “it is business as usual” for those who want to order a MrBeast Burger. Okay, then.
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Highlights
The best curated daily stories from around the web
Media, Music, & Entertainment
Cineworld is emerging from Chapter 11 bankruptcy after wiping out existing shareholders, putting the company in control of its lenders, and installing a new CEO and an entirely new board. Read more → thr
Billie Eilish’s Lollapalooza set will be powered by a “solar farm” provided by Overdrive Energy Solutions — an opening act in Eilish’s Music Decarbonization Project. Read more → variety
A debate is brewing if Hollywood studios are elevating digital influencers to usurp the influence of traditional film critics. Read more → theguardian
Fashion & E-Commerce
Birkenstock may IPO as early as September at a cushy valuation of $8 billion. Read more → bof
Sneaker design and education brand London Sneaker School is opening a concept store on Savile Row — elevating custom sneaker creation to that of the best-tailored suits. Read more → complex
Prada is introducing a new makeup and skincare business, expanding the brand’s offerings beyond luxury fragrances. Read more → highsnobiety
Tech, Web3, & AI
Steve Wozniak’s space startup, Privateer, is opening a marketplace that lets customers connect to Earth-observing satellites. Read more → bloomberg
California has opened an official review of the data collection practices of connected automobiles, which the state’s privacy regulator has called “computers on wheels.” Read more → wsj
The Alliance for OpenUSD, which includes companies like Nvidia, Adobe, and Autodesk, is rallying around Pixar’s Universal Scene Description as the open standard for 3D tools and data for metaverse apps — an important foundation in the run-up to the release of Apple’s Vision Pro. Read more → theverge
Creator Economy
Snap will launch a creator fund for AR lens development. Read more → insider
Instagram is potentially rolling out a label to identify images “generated by Meta AI” — a legally protective measure as the company begins to launch a suite of AI tools. Read more → engadget
Generational crisis: Gen Zers already worry they’re too old to understand Gen Alpha’s memes. Read more → insider
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Today’s email was written by David Vendrell.
Edited by Melody Song. Copy edited by Kait Cunniff.
Published by Darline Salazar.