Interesting Reads. Industry news that you may have missed.
TikTok Stars Are Preparing to Take Over the Internet – The Atlantic
The TikTok hype is very real. Creators have gained attention like A-list celebrities. This year, TikTok hosted an exclusive creator only after-party following the VidCon event. Everyone wanted in, and within 15 minutes of the party starting, hundreds of TikTok creators were still left outside. Crowds of fans swarmed around the creators and continued to stay outside long afterward in hopes for a selfie with their favorite star. But will the hype of the app remain successful? Time will tell if TikTok can provide scalable ways for influencers to make money on the platform.
Walmart has added virtual reality to its assessment of an employee’s potential – The Washington Post
Walmart is assessing it’s employees in a new way with virtual reality. The nation’s largest employer is using an Oculus Go virtual-reality headset to test employees in a simulated environment, letting managers see how well they know the store’s departments and how they react in everyday scenarios. Inside the simulated environment, employees can find themselves standing in a busy aisle facing multiple problems, like spills, misplaced items, and trash, with 30 seconds to figure out which to resolve first.
Facial Recognition Tech Is Growing Stronger, Thanks to Your Face – The New York Times
Facial recognition is becoming the new norm. Now, dozens of databases of people’s faces are being complied without their knowledge by researchers and companies. The face compilations are being shared around the world and driven by the race to create leading-edge facial recognition systems. The technology learns how to identify people by analyzing as many digital pictures as possible using “neural networks,” which are complex mathematical systems that require vast amounts of data to build pattern recognition.
Starbucks’ new Tie-Dye Frappuccino may not look as stunning as it does in photos, but it’s more than an Instagrammable drink – Business Insider
Recently, Starbucks unveiled a Tie-Dye Frappuccino, and to no surprise, it took the internet by storm. The new fruity drink seems to be one of the most beautiful beverages Starbucks has ever rolled out, at least based on the promotional images. The Frappuccino derives its red, blue, and yellow swirls from turmeric, red beet, and spirulina, a unique “healthy” combination the chain is not as accustomed to featuring.
