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Sprout Social Announces Fourth Quarter 2023 Financial Results Above Guidance Range

Retrieved on: 
Tuesday, February 20, 2024

CHICAGO, Feb. 20, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Sprout Social, Inc. (“Sprout Social”, the “Company”) (Nasdaq: SPT), an industry-leading provider of cloud-based social media management software, today announced financial results for its fourth quarter ended December 31, 2023.

Key Points: 
  • CHICAGO, Feb. 20, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Sprout Social, Inc. (“Sprout Social”, the “Company”) (Nasdaq: SPT), an industry-leading provider of cloud-based social media management software, today announced financial results for its fourth quarter ended December 31, 2023.
  • “We’re pleased to share incredibly strong fourth quarter results,” said Justyn Howard, Sprout Social’s CEO and co-founder.
  • Non-GAAP operating income was $1.7 million, compared to $0.6 million in the fourth quarter of 2022.
  • Non-GAAP net income was $1.0 million, compared to $1.8 million in the fourth quarter of 2022.

WallStreetBets Trader Who Turned $35,000 into $8 Million Launches First-Ever Stonk Madness Tournament

Retrieved on: 
Tuesday, March 5, 2024

It’s called Stonk Madness , a new experience where stock market enthusiasts can pick winners from a bracket of 64 rival tickers.

Key Points: 
  • It’s called Stonk Madness , a new experience where stock market enthusiasts can pick winners from a bracket of 64 rival tickers.
  • The tournament progresses from March 19 through April 5, 2024 until one stock remains as the Stonk Madness champion.
  • More than 40 million Americans pick brackets each March as all eyes focus on the drama and surprises that come with college basketball playoffs1.
  • “Watching stocks has become sport for millions of young investors,” Stonk Madness creator and AfterHour CEO Kevin Xu said.

What is CHAI AI's Chaiverse?

Retrieved on: 
Saturday, February 17, 2024

PALO ALTO, Calif., Feb. 17, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- A lot of Chai users have been asking the question, "What is Chaiverse?" a feature currently obscurely advertised by the Chai developers. With a recent valuation of $450M, the Chai AI team has been pouring their funding into the development of Chaiverse, with the aim of connecting world-class Large Language Model (LLM) developers directly to millions of Chat AI consumers, offering each user a tailor-made combination of LLMs. This article provides a deep dive into the Chaiverse mechanism, how it works, and its implications for users.

Key Points: 
  • Unlike other Generative AI products, which typically offer models developed in-house, Chai AI has recently introduced their model developer platform, Chaiverse .
  • Chai AI's research team purport to be lazer-focussed on exploring what makes each Large Language Model (LLM) unique and to improve person-to-LLM recommendations.
  • After the model is operational, users of the Chai App can engage with it through arena mode, providing immediate numerical and textual feedback to developers.
  • A: Yes, the Chai App primarily features interactions with AI-driven bots, trained to mimic human-like conversations and behaviors.

CHAI AI: A Top Platform for Conversational Artificial Intelligence

Retrieved on: 
Wednesday, February 14, 2024

PALO ALTO, Calif., Feb. 14, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- In the dynamic landscape of AI-powered content generation, OpenAI stands at the forefront of Artificial General Intelligence (AGI) research. However, the primary purpose of products such as GPT-4 is to act as a productivity aid, for tasks such as coding. In addition, access to the best such models is often restricted by paywalls. These limitation have led to the growing popularity of other platforms which are primarily focused on providing Generative AI for consumers.

Key Points: 
  • On the consumer side, the main use case for Generative AI is for conversational purposes, with the leading platform, TikTok, amassing over 1 billion monthly active users.
  • The largest emerging players are Character.AI and Chai AI, reporting 20 million and 5 million monthly active users, respectively.
  • One of the main differentiators setting TikTok, Chai AI , and Character AI apart is their platform-centric approach to Chat AI.
  • Unlike other Generative AI products, which typically offer models developed in-house, Chai AI has recently introduced their developer platform, Chaiverse .

5 myths about romance fiction, busted – from Fabio to feminism

Retrieved on: 
Tuesday, February 13, 2024

In its long history, it has been regularly characterised as “trashy”: a sort of sentimental junk food for the brain.

Key Points: 
  • In its long history, it has been regularly characterised as “trashy”: a sort of sentimental junk food for the brain.
  • But what actually is romance fiction?
  • These articles regularly perpetuate a set of myths about romance fiction.
  • Some of these myths are small and a bit silly: Fabio, for instance, is often invoked, despite the fact he stopped modelling for romance covers in 1993.
  • So, in honour of Valentine’s Day, as president (Jayashree) and vice president (Jodi) of the International Association for the Study of Popular Romance, we have taken it upon ourselves to debunk five of the most common myths about romance fiction.

1. Romance novels are all the same

  • One of the most frequently iterated ideas about romance is that it is formulaic – if you’ve read one romance, you’ve read them all, because they’re essentially all identical.
  • Just as we expect a crime novel to feature a crime and a resolution (we find out whodunnit), we expect a romance novel to feature a romance and a resolution (we see the protagonists in a committed romantic relationship).
  • This is intensified by the fact romance is an umbrella genre, encompassing an enormous amount of subgenres.
  • The story worlds in which romance plots take place are incredibly varied, as are the characters who inhabit them.
  • To illustrate this through example: A Marvellous Light by Freya Marske, The Matchmaker by Saman Shad and Flesh by Kylie Scott are all romance novels by Australian authors.

2. Romance readers read indiscriminately

  • Just like all romance novels are assumed to be the same, so are all romance readers.
  • This also lies at the heart of romance’s bad reputation: the idea that readers are passively imbibing but not actively engaging with what they read.
  • However, even just dipping a toe into romance book culture will reveal that neither books, readers, nor readers’ opinions on books are identical.
  • As Kim Wilkins and Beth Driscoll note, romance is an “innovative and uncontrollable” genre, and this is one of the key reasons why: “The dynamism of romance fiction is intimately linked with its engaged readers”.

3. Romance novels are all about sex

  • It is true that the commercial romance novel doesn’t shy away from sexy times.
  • Some readers use terms like “clean” and “dirty” to describe the level and intensity of sex scenes.
  • On the opposite end of the sexuality spectrum, some novels explicitly identify their protagonists as not experiencing sexual desire at all.
  • Read more:
    Shopping, showjumping and a notorious goldfish sex scene: the bonkers world of the bonkbuster

4. Romance is anti-feminist / romance is feminist

  • But while some insist that romance novels are a tool of the patriarchy and others prefer to term the genre feminist for its focus on female desires, the truth has, well, many shades of grey.
  • If we define feminism as the principle of equality and equal opportunity in personal, professional, legal, and political arenas, romance novels are no more wholly anti-feminist or wholly feminist than any other art form or community.
  • Read more:
    'Something that happens in fiction': romance writer Susan Meachen's fake death reminds us 'the author' is a construct

5. Romance was nothing until TikTok

  • Or there’s a TV adaptation of an old romance series.
  • Or it’s the rise of a novel to bestseller status because it gathered steam on a fan-fiction site or another app.
  • Reader, the rumours of the birth of romance are a bit behind the times.
  • Romance novels take on new ideas and new forms every few years, always building on earlier works and networks.


Jodi McAlister is the Vice President of the International Association for the Study of Popular Romance. Jayashree Kamblé serves as the current President of the International Association for the Study of Popular Romance.

Introducing Worldcoin’s World ID 2.0; Delivers enhanced privacy and human-centered digital access to Shopify, Mercado Libre, Minecraft, Reddit and Telegram

Retrieved on: 
Wednesday, December 13, 2023

Humanness verification services are expanding in Mexico and Singapore, increasing global access to World ID 2.0.

Key Points: 
  • Humanness verification services are expanding in Mexico and Singapore, increasing global access to World ID 2.0.
  • The protocol will be integrated with popular e-commerce, gaming and social media platforms including: Shopify, Mercado Libre, Minecraft, Reddit and Telegram.
  • World ID aims to provide a decentralized digital identity layer that enables anonymous actions for the benefit of every unique human online.
  • Interest in access to Worldcoin and proof of personhood technologies like World ID is continuing to grow globally.

Mine Secures $30 Million in Series B Funding to Transform the Landscape of Data Privacy Governance for the Enterprise

Retrieved on: 
Tuesday, December 5, 2023

BOSTON and TEL AVIV, Israel, Dec. 5, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Mine, a pioneering company disrupting the data privacy market, announced today that it has raised $30 million in Series B funding, co-led by Battery Ventures and PayPal Ventures, with significant investments from Nationwide Ventures and with the participation of all existing investors including Saban Ventures, Gradient Ventures (Google's AI), MassMutual Ventures and Headline Ventures. This substantial investment will propel Mine's mission to redefine data privacy and governance management for companies globally, enabling them to gain better control over their data and simplify regulatory compliance processes to get peace of mind.

Key Points: 
  • Mine has seen remarkable customer growth across diverse segments and industries, reflecting the universal demand for robust data privacy and governance solutions.
  • "Unlike other solutions that merely report data findings, MineOS enables us to automate assessments and fulfill regulatory obligations, transforming our approach to data privacy and governance," said Jutta Williams, Head of Privacy & Assurance at Reddit.
  • "MineOS stands out in the data governance market by not only providing accurate insights but also empowering effective management of our data governance operations."
  • Mine tackles crucial issues in data privacy and governance, specifically navigating complex data regulations and the escalating demand for transparency.

NapkinAds Secures Exclusive $4.5M Deal with BetterHelp Following New Marketing Channel Success

Retrieved on: 
Friday, November 17, 2023

NEW YORK, Nov. 17, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- NapkinAds announced today the company has secured an exclusive three-year advertising partnership with the online mental health platform BetterHelp. NapkinAds is the first company to serve ads on napkins with a reach of over 100,000 restaurants and bars nationwide.

Key Points: 
  • NapkinAds is the first company to serve ads on napkins with a reach of over 100,000 restaurants and bars nationwide.
  • To showcase the impact of its innovative brand marketing campaigns, NapkinAds designed and placed 237,000 BetterHelp branded napkins in dozens of New York City bars and eateries.
  • "We are proud that BetterHelp has exclusively partnered with NapkinAds as their Out-Of-Home brand marketing partner after achieving huge results in just one market during our first test campaign," said Igor Berezner, CEO of NapkinAds.
  • Companies can also target their messaging based on location down to a zip code level, type of establishment, and audience demographics using NapkinAds.

Terraformation’s biodiversity-focused forest accelerator gains momentum as the first cohort scales its operations and two more cohorts confirmed

Retrieved on: 
Thursday, November 9, 2023

Terraformation’s Accelerator is the world’s first biodiversity-focused, carbon-funded program for forest creators across the globe, addressing the critical funding, tech, and skills gaps needed for biodiverse native restoration.

Key Points: 
  • Terraformation’s Accelerator is the world’s first biodiversity-focused, carbon-funded program for forest creators across the globe, addressing the critical funding, tech, and skills gaps needed for biodiverse native restoration.
  • Cohort 3 is in preparation, with site visits by Terraformation’s forestry experts to meet its West and East Africa teams.
  • This partnership will connect FSC’s network of forest managers and funders with new opportunities through Terraformation’s accelerator.
  • We’re proud to bring Terraformation’s Seed to Carbon Forest Accelerator to the restoration community.

How apps and influencers are changing the way we sleep, for better or for worse

Retrieved on: 
Friday, October 27, 2023

This is the final article in The Conversation’s six-part series on insomnia, which charts the rise of insomnia during industrialisation to sleep apps today.

Key Points: 
  • This is the final article in The Conversation’s six-part series on insomnia, which charts the rise of insomnia during industrialisation to sleep apps today.
  • Insomnia is not just a personal issue that affects an individual’s health and wellbeing.
  • The global insomnia market is expected to reach US$6.3 billion by 2030, driven by increased diagnoses and therapy, as well as sleep aids, including sleep apps.

There’s an app for that

  • You can buy wearable devices, such as smartwatches and smart rings or wristbands, to digitally monitor your sleep.
  • You can download apps that record how long you sleep and where you can log your tiredness and concentration levels.
  • You can also buy “smart” pillows, mattresses and a range of smart light-fittings and lightbulbs to help track and improve sleep.
  • You can listen to “sleep stories” – bedtime stories, music or guided meditations meant to help you sleep.

Sharing and connecting can help

  • Sharing and connection can ease the loneliness we know can impact sleep.
  • So online sharing, support and feelings of belonging can alleviate the stresses and unhappiness that may prevent people from finding a good night’s sleep.

What is this fixation costing us?

  • A focus on sleep can create a vicious cycle in which worrying about a lack of sleep can itself worsen sleep.
  • Using sleep-tracking apps and wearable devices can encourage people to become overly fixated on the metrics these technologies gather.
  • The data generated by digital devices are not necessarily accurate or useful, particularly for groups such as older people.

Are we missing the bigger issue?

  • People living in poor housing or in noisy environments have little choice over the conditions in which they seek good sleep.
  • And multiple socioeconomic factors (for instance, gender, ethnicity and economic hardship) can combine, making it even more likely to have poor sleep.
  • Yet, much of the advice offered to people about how to improve their sleep focuses on individual responsibility to make changes.
  • It assumes everyone can buy the latest technologies or can change their environment or lifestyle to find better “sleep health”.


Deborah Lupton receives funding from the Australian Research Council.