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Booking.com recently polled 37,325 people across 33 markets "to better understand how people around the world are using, trusting and responding to AI in both everyday life and travel."

A few highlights from the Global AI Sentiment Report:
🛳️ High adoption: overall, 67% of travelers already use AI tools when planning or going on trips
🤔 Geographic trust divide: Latin American and Asia-Pacific regions lead in AI enthusiasm and trust, with 51% and 38% of consumers, respectively, trusting AI fully or mostly. By contrast, North America (30%) and Europe (28%) show greater skepticism despite developing many of today's dominant AI technologies
🧳 Good-bye, watercooler, hello ChatGPT: AI assistants (24%) have surpassed work colleagues (19%) and influencers (14%) as reliable sources for travel planning advice

So, what exactly are people turning to AI for?
🏝️ 71% of travelers want recommendations to avoid overcrowded destinations
✌️ 60% seek experiences that positively impact local communities
🌍 38% want help researching new destinations

But they're not without concerns:
📿 47% worry AI could reinforce stereotypes or discrimination
💰 38% fear the technology will deprioritize budget travelers

The message for brands is clear: consumers are starting to rely on AI for planning and exploring (potential) purchases, but building trust through transparency and ethical implementation remains essential for long-term success.

Unveiled this week, Fourier's GR-3 robot — described as its first "care-centric humanoid" — stands apart from the clinical, industrial automatons dominating the market with its distinctly human-like expressions and emotional intelligence. The compact robot features an animated LED face capable of displaying a range of emotions, from happiness to concern, responding dynamically to human interactions. Unlike robots designed primarily for task efficiency, GR-3 prioritizes emotional connection through its rounded, approachable design, soft-touch materials and interfaces that emphasize accessibility over technical complexity.

In healthcare settings, GR-3 could serve as a companion for elderly patients that doesn't just bring them their meds at the correct time, but ensures they take them, with a friendly nudge and maybe a bit of banter. Educational institutions are exploring GR-3's potential for supporting children with learning differences, where its non-threatening presence and endless patience create a judgment-free learning environment. And corporate environments might deploy the robots in customer service roles where a soft touch is as valuable as conveying information.

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The emergence of emotionally intelligent machines like GR-3 signals a shift in consumer expectations. As automation becomes ubiquitous, the competitive edge won't lie in functionality alone, but in how tech makes people feel. For businesses, this means reconsidering design philosophies across products and services. We're moving beyond the era of sterile efficiency toward technology that acknowledges our need for warmth, personality and genuine connection.

Qantas and Australian luggage brand July have joined forces to create a collection of suitcases with built-in tracking. The collaboration integrates July's CaseSafe technology directly into the suitcases' TSA lock system, allowing travelers to monitor their belongings through Apple's Find My network or Google's Find Hub. This tracking solution offers extended battery life and maintains connectivity across global travel networks, addressing a persistent pain point for frequent flyers.

Available in two distinct designs (a midnight black standard edition and a dark blue premium version for Gold status and above Frequent Flyers), the range includes both carry-on and checked baggage sizes. Each piece features distinctive Qantas branding and an integrated luggage tag holder. As July's co-founder Athan Didaskalou points out, the embedded tracking technology creates a "set and forget" experience that provides complete peace of mind throughout someone's journey.

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These new suitcases sit at the convergence of two consumer trends. First, the rise of 'invisible tech' — solutions that solve real problems while fading into the background of our experience. The Qantas x July partnership exemplifies this SAPIENT SYSTEMS approach, where tracking capability is embedded into existing hardware rather than requiring separate management.

Second, the collaboration reflects what we've described as EMPATHY ENSURANCE, where brands extend support well beyond the point of sale. By addressing the anxiety of lost luggage — a significant post-purchase concern for people who've booked flights — Qantas can build customer loyalty through an ongoing service that anticipates travelers' needs throughout their journey.

A new luxury wearable is merging high jewelry with tech functionality, minus the screen addiction. SPKTRL, founded by former LVMH innovation lead Katia de Lasteyrie, has unveiled a diamond ring that communicates essential digital messages through subtle color changes. The lab-grown diamond center stone illuminates in personalized hues to indicate specific notifications — perhaps a soft magenta for a message from a loved one or vibrant blue for a critical work update — while filtering out the digital noise that fragments attention.

Mimicking classic jewelry, the ring represents a dramatic departure from primarily functional wearables by taking a jewelry-first approach. The technology is completely embedded, with the diamond itself serving as the interface and color as a messenger.

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SPKTRL's innovation represents a growing rejection of "always-on" culture, where consumers aren't seeking more data but rather better-filtered, emotionally intelligent signals. The question is whether it truly solves the problem it aims to address.

While the ring eliminates screens and excessive notifications, it still transmits alerts that can trigger the same psychological responses as a buzzing phone. When that diamond glows with the boss's designated color, the wearer's attention is inevitably diverted, potentially inducing the same anxiety and distraction the product promises to alleviate.

This tension highlights a broader challenge in tech: truly addressing digital overwhelm requires behavioral change, not just (aesthetic) repackaging. As brands position digital minimalism as a new status symbol, the most valuable innovation may be one that helps users redefine their relationship with connectivity altogether.

Two recent news items signal the emotional, legal and cultural elevation of pets:

⚖️ Australia's Family Law Amendment Act 2024, which came into effect this June, acknowledges pets as more than mere property in family disputes. The legislation introduces a framework that considers factors like caregiving responsibilities and emotional bonds when determining who gets pet custody; the amendment recognizes animals as "sentient beings" rather than objects to be divided like furniture.

💼 Corporate benefits packages are similarly transforming to accommodate this cultural shift. Empathy, a technology company specializing in life's difficult transitions, recently launched a first-of-its-kind Pet Loss Support service as part of its bereavement benefits portfolio. The timing seems apt: 62% of Americans now live with pets, with 97% of pet owners considering them family members. More telling is that three in five employees have seriously contemplated leaving their jobs for better pet-related benefits, even at the cost of reduced pay.

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What’s emerging is a deep societal recalibration around how pets are perceived. Not just in sentiment, but in policy, law and workplace culture. These two developments, seemingly unrelated, both recognize one core truth: 🐾 Pets are not property. They're emotional beings with social, legal and psychological significance.

For brands and other innovation leaders, this shift creates opportunities to develop products and services addressing the full spectrum of the human-animal relationship. The most successful offerings will recognize that modern pet owners don't just want products for their animals, but services and experiences that enhance and honor their shared lives. Companies that authentically speak to this emotional dimension will find receptive audiences in a massive global market.

Here's a twist on traditional wedding celebrations that isn't about the food, the flowers or the venue: Paris-based Invitin allows couples to sell a limited number of wedding invitations to carefully selected strangers. The platform, founded by Katia Lekarski after a simple question from her five-year-old daughter ("Why are we never invited to weddings?") creates a marketplace where couples can offset wedding costs while offering outsiders access to authentic celebrations typically reserved for friends and family.

The model serves three distinct audiences: couples seeking to finance their events without asking their friends and family to contribute, individuals wanting to experience significant life moments, and wedding industry professionals looking to enhance their offerings. With a secure vetting system, couples maintain control over who attends while guests gain access to celebrations in various settings from châteaux to beaches. Attendance is priced at EUR 150 to 400 per person.

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Invitin sits at the intersection of experience economy, wedding financing solutions, and our collective hunger for authentic connection. While it remains to be seen whether large numbers of couples are ready to sell seats to their nuptials (and guests willing to pay to crash weddings), the concept taps into three significant societal shifts:

1. Emotional experience as a service
People are hungry for meaningful experiences. Invitin taps into a growing desire to feel something real, to belong to a moment larger than oneself, and to be part of stories instead of watching them on a screen. It mirrors the rise of 'emotional tourism' — think grief retreats, psychedelic ceremonies and silent monastery stays.

2. The monetization of intimacy
In the creator economy (and, more broadly, in this economy), everything is a potential source of income, even your wedding. Invitin reflects people's growing comfort with monetizing personal milestones, provided the transaction feels authentic and consensual.

3. Community without closeness
Modern loneliness has created a craving for connection, but not necessarily commitment. Invitin allows temporary togetherness, where strangers gather for joy without lifelong ties. This type of belonging-on-demand echoes ideas like friend-renting services in Japan or platonic cuddle parties in the US.

Innovation update | Last year, we covered Flok Health, an AI physiotherapy platform in the UK. Now, results are in following the app's initial rollout within the NHS. A 12-week trial in Cambridgeshire and Peterborough treated over 2,500 patients and reduced back pain waiting times by 55% and all musculoskeletal treatment waits by 44%. Perhaps more significantly for stretched healthcare resources, the platform successfully managed 98% of referred patients entirely within the digital environment, with only 2% requiring transfer back to face-to-face care with human practitioners.

However, professional bodies are urging caution as the service prepares to expand across the NHS. As reported by the Guardian, The Chartered Society of Physiotherapy warns that AI-powered care could widen health inequalities for patients unable or unwilling to access treatment via smartphone apps. John Cowman, the organization's chief executive, also argues that recruitment freezes preventing graduate physiotherapists from finding NHS work represent a more fundamental problem than technology can solve. "We have a workforce ready to provide proven, safe care which will help cut waiting times," he noted, emphasizing that AI should supplement rather than replace human practitioners.

The efficiency gains — 856 hours of freed clinician time per month — suggest AI healthcare solutions may indeed offer relief for overworked staff, but the debate over digital accessibility ensures the technology's expansion won't be without scrutiny.

A new rapid-charging electric bike is challenging the notion that only four-wheeled EVs deserve cutting-edge battery and charging tech. Unveiled last week, the sleek ride by Morelle can reach an 80% charge in just 12 minutes, slashing the typical e-bike recharge time by more than two-thirds and addressing a pain point that has long frustrated those who get around on two wheels.

That boost in charging speed? It could accelerate e-bike adoption. Beyond cycling, the California-based startup is set to employ the same technology to power humanoid robots, eliminating the need for battery-swapping systems. Deliveries for Morelle's first bike are planned for early 2026 at a starting price of USD 3,000.

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Whatever the industry, consumers will always appreciate products and services that save time and simplify their lives. A (much) shorter charging time? That's a liberation from a previously fixed constraint, and it's driving consumers toward time-saving innovations across sectors, from banking's instant loan approvals to beauty's quick-setting nail polishes. For brands, the message is clear: identify assumed waiting periods in your customer journey and transform one into a competitive advantage before a challenger does.

Just one in four Audi drivers consult their vehicle's manual, so it's no wonder customers are oblivious about many of their car's functions. Addressing this disconnect, Audi has launched Audi Reader, a new feature in its app that uses computer vision to transform how drivers interact with their vehicles. Developed in collaboration with Ogilvy Barcelona and vision tech startup Roboflow, the system was trained on over 10,000 images captured from 27 current Audi models, with each component meticulously tagged and linked to information from the manual.

Drivers simply point their smartphone camera at any part of their Audi, a dashboard control, warning light or cabin element, and the app instantly identifies the component and provides clear information about its function. Beyond explaining features, the app also allows users to chat with their after-sales advisor, request workshop appointments or call for roadside assistance.

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The fact that so few people read their car manuals could be laziness, or it could be a shift in expectation. People now expect technology to explain itself through instant, intuitive and intelligent assistance with zero friction. It's no longer enough to pack products with advanced features; brands need to close any knowledge gap for their customers in real-time and on-demand. Audi Reader aligns with how consumers already interact with the rest of the world: Snap. Scan. Solve. As visual recognition technology matures, brands gain another avenue for proactively adapting to human behavior, rather than the other way around.

Back in March, we asked: Could AI productivity gains unlock the future of 4-day workweeks for all? Flash forward to July, and the answer is looking more like a resounding YES. Bernie's on board, too, arguing that the time saved by AI should be given back to workers, allowing them to spend more time with their families instead of managing their inboxes.

🔁 Following up: A UK four-day workweek trial run by the 4 Day Week Foundation just wrapped — and all 17 companies involved are sticking with it. That's a 100% success rate. And these weren't just startups or niche players. The trial spanned sectors from finance to science.

🚀 Results? Less burnout. Happier teams. No dip in productivity. In fact, many reported gains in efficiency and revenue. BrandPipe, a London-based software firm, saw revenue jump nearly 130%. And they didn't need AI to pull it off.

AI may deliver the tipping point to make shorter workweeks mainstream. From teachers saving six weeks a year on lesson planning thanks to chatbots, to robot arms and digital twins transforming factory floors — AI is quietly reshaping time. If AI can help everyone work smarter, shouldn't everyone, from truck drivers to UX designers, get a slice of that saved time? Forward-thinking innovation isn't just about adopting AI. It's about carefully considering how to spend the time that AI frees up.

A 4-day workweek isn't a perk; it's fast becoming a cultural expectation and a competitive edge. Given the potential for higher revenue, productivity boosts, happier workers and lower employee turnover, rational organizations will:
✂️ Reinvest AI-driven time savings into real flexibility for workers
🧠 Recognize rest as generating ROI
🎯 Sync with Gen Z's rhythm of pause → pivot → purpose (hello, micro-retirements)

When the beat drops, shouldn't everyone be able to feel it? Brazilian network provider TIM has launched TIM Vibe, an innovative feature that converts audio into vibrations, giving deaf and hard-of-hearing users a new way to enjoy music. The functionality, available for free through the Meu TIM app, transforms sound waves from songs and concerts into mobile phone vibrations, creating a more immersive musical experience for those with hearing impairments.

Developed in partnership with FBDSDF and Instituto Som Da Vida — organizations focused on expanding access and inclusion — TIM Vibe demonstrates how existing smartphone technology can be repurposed to integrate accessibility directly into an everyday tool rather than requiring specialized equipment.

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TIM's innovation taps into a fundamental truth: music isn't just about sound but about connection, emotion and shared cultural moments. Consumers, especially younger generations, increasingly expect brands to design for empathy and belonging, not just utility. The distinction is subtle but significant — shifting from "you can use this" to "this was designed with your complete experience in mind."

Irish B Corp Riley has unveiled a period care hotel kit that addresses a long-overlooked element of hospitality service. The brand's kits provide hotel guests with high-quality organic period essentials, eliminating the need for emergency pharmacy trips or potentially uncomfortable requests to front desk staff.

Packaged discreetly yet stylishly, the kits aim to make menstrual care as standard as shampoo or shower caps in hotel rooms. The included pads and tampons are made from 100% GOTS-certified organic cotton, ensuring they're free from chlorine bleach, pesticides, toxins and other harmful chemicals. Riley says it's already garnering positive feedback from both hotels and guests.

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The hospitality industry's slow adoption of period care as a standard room amenity highlights a persistent gender-based blind spot. While hotels routinely supply items used by a minority of guests (shoe horns, sewing kits), they've largely overlooked essential products needed by roughly half their clientele during menstruation.

Riley's solution taps into growing expectations for inclusive design that considers all human needs — a fundamental expression of genuine hospitality. As consumers increasingly support brands that address real human experiences, expect more companies to fill similar gaps that, in retrospect, seem too shockingly obvious to have been overlooked for so long.

A new mobile game aims to combat declining physical activity among Dutch adolescents by transforming real-world steps into in-game racing power. Lawa, described by its creators as "Mario Kart meets Strava," converts everyday walking into competitive gaming currency, enabling users to race against friends and collect power-ups to gain advantages.

Major Dutch brands including Hema, Burgers' Zoo and Diergaarde Blijdorp have already partnered with the platform to create branded tournaments where participants virtually race through environments like a zoo, with winners receiving physical or digital rewards. Targeting users between 11 and 25 years old, Lawa operates without subscriptions, advertisements or in-app purchases. Its business model relies entirely on brand activations integrated into the gaming experience.

Developed by Snijder and Bram Krikke, the free app arrives amid concerning statistics that 50% of Dutch adolescents fail to meet their recommended daily hour of physical activity, increasing their risk of detrimental health outcomes and poorer performance at school and work.

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Mental wellbeing is becoming the new KPI for youth-focused products, with gamified fitness solutions gaining traction. Lawa's approach exemplifies how the "play economy" is merging with wellness, framing healthy behaviors as fun competition rather than another must-do. The game's model of "movement as micro-motivation" builds on lessons from successful predecessors like Pokémon GO, but adds the powerful social component of peer competition. What health behaviors could your brand transform through gamification and positive social pressure?

According to the Ipsos Pride Survey 2025, more people than ever are identifying openly as LGBTQ+, with Gen Z leading the charge from NYC to Budapest. But while identity expands, acceptance hasn’t kept pace. Here’s your round-up:

🌈 Identity, expanded: Across the 26 countries polled by IPSOS, 9% of adults identify as LGBTQ+. Among Gen Z, that number jumps to 14%.

📉 Rainbow fatigue? While visibility is climbing, support is slipping — especially in Western countries. Since 2021, backing for same-sex marriage dropped by 8% in Italy and 6% in Canada.

🧑‍💻 Gen Z’s gender divide: While 59% of Gen Z women support LGBTQ+ individuals being open about their identity, just 38% of Gen Z men agree — mirroring Millennial (43%) and Gen X (44%) men.

What’s next for brands? As more people live out loud, backlash grows louder, too. Performative allyship? Obsolete. Gen Z expects brands to go beyond rainbow capitalism — be fluent in fluidity, and fearless in the face of pushback.

Your inclusive innovation checklist:

1️⃣ Go structural. Let Pride shift from performance to policy. Nearly 2 in 5 Fortune 500 and Global 100 brands pulled back Pride Month activity this year, signaling fear over solidarity. Flip that.
🇨🇦 Like Egale Canada’s powerful campaign linking historical hate to modern-day violence — a visceral reminder that Pride is protest, not just party.

2️⃣ Rethink representation. Move beyond rainbows. Reflect lived complexity, not clichés.
🇵🇭 Like Home Credit Philippines, where mirrored installations helped employees reflect, literally and metaphorically, on their own Pride stories.

3️⃣ Co-create × queer. With LGBTQ+ creators hit hard by ad spend cuts, your budget can be a force for visibility.
🇺🇸 Like NYX’s Pridemix campaign, amplifying queer music artists during Pride Month.

4️⃣ Create safe spaces. Too often, queer people are misrepresented, or missing entirely, in representation. Build online and IRL experiences where they’re not just included, but centered.
🌍 Like Taimi, the LGBTQ+ dating app whose new Taimi In-Person feature helps users discover real-world LGBTQ+ events — already powering 77+ events in its pilot.