Robots Enter The Octagon

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Tech startup REK (Robot Entertainment Kombot) hosted a cage match between content creator Frankie LaPenna and humanoid robots… and caught the attention of angry state regulators.

Why It (Literally) Hits: Humanoid robots are advancing quickly — they now entertain at theme parks and compete against one another in Olympics-style games. The possibility of man-versus-machine battles is no longer science fiction, but a present-day reality… and the law isn’t ready to govern the potentially dangerous ramifications.

Between The Rounds: “Human vs. Robot” went down on September 18… and the fallout has been spreading ever since.

Last Bout: Human vs. Robot was the first event in what REK calls “the humanoid robot fighting league,” which aims to “democratize MMA, so we can essentially experience the blood sport without anyone getting hurt,” per Liv. To that end, he said human-versus-robot combat isn’t the company’s ultimate ambition. Case in point: this Friday, the company is hosting its first humanoid robot-versus-robot battle featuring blades.

It looks like Real Steel, Shawn Levy’s undersung 2011 blockbuster, is now a docudrama.

Prediction: San Francisco is definitely going to get the first robot-combat Colosseum — the perfect destination to air our collective robot anxiety.

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Gen Z is increasingly planning vacations around destinations with unique stories behind them — a trend called “lore-tripping.”

The Big Picture: Most young people are feeling the strain on their wallets, so they’re going off the beaten path or thinking outside the box to plan  vacations on a budget. That’s crowning new tourism winners and changing people’s conceptions of what vacations are for.

Behind The Itinerary: Gen Z travelers don’t just want to bring back good vacation stories — they want to visit places that are a story.

Last Stop: Airbnb found that 90% of surveyed Gen Zers have set their sights on small towns and other “under-the-radar destinations” for fall trips. In fact, half have already booked a trip. Bender pinpointed two lore-tripping locales that have caught Gen Z’s attention — Point Pleasant, West Virginia (home of the fabled Mothman), and Leavenworth, Washington (an old logging town that has been “reinvented as a Bavarian village in Germany”).

Young people want a little mystery or whimsy in their lives. Can you blame them?

The Future: It’s possible that experiential agencies could get in the travel game to capitalize on the newfound interest in story-driven vacationing.

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30.4% of you voted No, I’ve never used it in yesterday’s poll: Do you use Nextdoor?

“I’m sure it’s useful, but it always felt like an app where nosy neighbors lurk, so I never joined.”

“Nextdoor is perfect for the nosy neighbor who doesn’t want to put in the effort of cul-de-sac gossip or peeking through their blinds!”

“It’s filled with people dedicated to the culture wars. Just a whole bunch of ‘get off my lawn’ types.”

“The most interesting part of Nextdoor is the wildlife sightings and photos, and the most useful part is the service provider referrals (which I’ve both given and received). But sometimes the posts and comments are too Facebook-y for my taste.”

“It’s a good place to sell things or search for lost pets.”

“I backed away when the posts became dominated by arguments over barking dogs.”

Let’s keep the conversation going. Join Poll Of The Day, so your opinions can shine. Discover how your views line up with your peers’, check out cool insights, and have some fun. It’s data with personality.

🎮 Xbox launched a new division, XP, to oversee its film and TV projects, consumer products, strategic partnerships, and live experiences.

🎧  Spotify renewed its podcast deal with Joe Rogan for a reported $250 million.

👓 Meta showed off a first look at an immersive spinoff series of A24’s Talk to Me.

👀 The federal government suspended Microsoft from a US employment-based green card program.

👔 Google rolled out a new AI agent for the workplace.

🤖 You’re no longer allowed to repeatedly abuse Claude.

🎙️ Podcaster Chloe Shih is the first influencer to join OpenAI’s new creator initiative.

🤳 Dhar Mann unveiled his “Creator City” production campus in LA, set to open in February.

🎥 Canon is bringing back its First Cut Contest for a second year, raising the cash prize to $100,000.