#27 The Weekend Download – Catching Up on What Matters
Essential insights you need to stay ahead
📩 Issue #27 – 23/08/2025
⚡ Quick Hits – What You Need to Know
🤖 Claude AI learns empathy
Anthropic gave Claude the ability to detect distress and gracefully exit conversations, marking a step toward emotionally aware AI.
Read More (Engadget)
🚄 Eurostar goes carbon-negative
The train operator opened a carbon-negative terminal in Amsterdam, setting a new benchmark for sustainable transport hubs.
Read More (Globetrender)
💉 First at-home flu vaccine
AstraZeneca’s FluMist nasal spray is now available in the US, enabling people to vaccinate against the flu from home.
Read More (CNN)
🔥 Top Insights
💸 Gen Z finds any excuse to treat themselves
From failing an exam to washing the dishes, young adults are turning even the smallest moments into reasons to spend.
Read More (NYT)
🕳️ AI preppers are on the rise
A new wave of “super-preppers” is investing in bunkers, nootropics, and tech to prepare for an AI-driven collapse.
Read More (Business Insider)
🧠 Meta restructures AI – again
Meta reorganised its AI division to accelerate progress toward superintelligence.
Read More (Bloomberg)
🎓 Kids see AI as a tool
Surveys reveal students view AI less as a threat and more as an everyday aid.
Read More (Wired)
📊 Numbers to Watch
🎵 Luxury fades from lyrics
Mentions of Gucci, Rolex, and Prada in hit songs have dropped sharply since 2020, signaling a shift in cultural status symbols.
Read More (Bloomberg)
🛏️ Eight Sleep raises $100M
The smart mattress company is betting on AI-driven sleep optimization as the next big health and wellness frontier.
Read More (TechCrunch)
💡 Something to Think About
📺 Sitcoms or marketing?
Fake social media sitcoms are actually ad campaigns, blurring the line between entertainment and branding.
Read More (WSJ)
✍️ Grammarly debuts AI grader
A new grading tool helps students boost confidence before submission, redefining academic feedback.
Read More (TrendWatching)
📚 AI helps win a novel prize
Author Rie Qudan admitted using ChatGPT to write parts of her prize-winning novel, sparking debate on creative legitimacy.
Read More (The Guardian)
🎥 Spoilers kill the thrill
Social media is leaking iconic on-screen moments early, changing how people experience style storytelling.
Read More (Vogue Business)
🌀 Offbeat & Unexpected
🫀 Virtual organ donors
A gaming-inspired campaign transforms digital avatars into advocates for real-world organ donation.
Read More (Ads of the World)
🐐 Sweetgreen takes a goat to Times Square
The salad chain staged a farmer and goat stunt in New York to spotlight sustainable farming.
Read More (Marketing Brew)
📱 RushTok sparks backlash
TikTok’s fraternity “rush” videos are fueling debates about exclusivity, authenticity, and access.
Read More (Independent)
🥖 Friendship through baking
Gen Z is reviving community through baking and cooking clubs, trading online likes for offline connections.
Read More (Refinery29)
🌶️ America gets spicier
US taste buds are shifting toward heat, with spicy food becoming a marker of cultural identity.
Read More (The Atlantic)