Sneaker Scent

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Thank goodness for the weekend, party people. But, don’t get too comfortable, because 40 monkeys have escaped from a research facility in South Carolina. Next week could be the beginning of the The Planet of the Apes. Prepare yourself.

DAILY TOP TRENDS

Osmo’s AI Can Sniff Out A Fake Sneaker

A startup called Osmo has created an AI-powered machine that uses scent to authenticate products, like sneakers and bags.

The Big Whiff: Dupe products have flooded the luxury market as secondary sales have soared. Finding a way to keep them out of the marketplace before they can reach consumers (something resellers spend a lot of money on) is necessary for the integrity of the industry.

Between The Scents: Osmo wants to smell your shoes… or, at least, all the unique fibers, materials, and glues that make your shoe the genuine article.

• Osmo’s machine “sniffs” shoes and other products to verify their unique scent signature created by the mix of raw materials and chemicals that make up the product — something humans at marketplaces like StockX already do.

• Fake sellers typically use cheaper materials to build their knockoffs, so the scent is different — a pilot test by Osmo was able to determine reals from fakes 95% of the time accurately.

Future Fragrance: Like anything AI, Osmo is only as good as the data it’s trained on, so it’s better at recognizing products that it’s had plenty of exposure to, as opposed to a rare item where only a few may have been manufactured.

So, some brands, such as LVMH’s Patou, are adding a custom scent into their items, so that they can be authenticated at scale — a “digital fingerprint,” according to Business of Fashion. Don’t be surprised if the practice becomes standard for the entire luxury industry… a service that Osmo also offers.

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TikTok Is Now A Job Board

Both employers and workers have embraced TikTok as a hiring platform, positioning the app as LinkedIn for young people looking to show off their creativity in applications.

Why It Hits: Swamped job postings on LinkedIn and impersonal AI screenings for interviews have made finding a job not through a personal connection feel impossible. Public TikTok video applications could give some creative job seekers the ability to capture an employer’s attention.

Between The Apps: TikTok continues to be the town square of Gen Z.

• Prospective workers are uploading their resumes directly to TikTok and looking for positions using the hashtags #hiringnow, #jobopportunity, and #tiktokresume.

• That’s led employers to put job openings on their companies’ profiles, giving an edge to those who already follow them.

• One in five Gen Zers say they’ve applied to jobs and gotten interviews on TikTok, per Resume Genius.

Closing Thoughts: Fast Company notes that the average American spends over two hours on social media, with young people spending much more time scrolling. It was only a matter of time until every aspect of life hit the For You page. But, mixing the personal and the professional on social media comes with pitfalls — 75% of US companies check your socials before hiring. It’s possible that decorum on social media may, amazingly, increase. That’s a win for everybody.

DEEP DIVES

• Listen: WSJ explores what a Trump presidency means for big-backer Elon Musk and his many businesses that the US both relies on and is always investigating.

• Read: Bloomberg gets an exclusive interview with Binance founder Changpeng Zhao, who’s fresh out of prison.

• Watch: Deadline chats with Nicholas Hoult, who’s on a roll this year with standout lead performances in Juror #2, The Order, and Nosferatu.

62.9% of you voted No in yesterday’s poll: Do you live in Texas?

“I’m an East Coaster. Texas might as well be another country.”

“Love Texas, can’t afford to live there anymore.”

“While attending college at Baylor University.”

“I’ve lived here all my life (70 years) and wouldn’t live anywhere else.”

“Texas is home but increasingly feels hostile.”

Let’s keep the conversation going. Join our Poll Of The Day newsletter 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.

QUICK HITS

→ Entertainment / Media

📺 Primetime viewership of election night hit 42.3 million — about 26% less than 2020’s audience.

🎞️ The fall box office is about to skyrocket, thanks to Moana 2, Gladiator 2, and Wicked.

🗳️ Digital influencers and podcasters played a pretty big part in this year’s election.

→ Technology

🤖 The incoming Trump administration will likely loosen regulations on the budding AI industry.

📱 Canada has ordered TikTok’s business to shut down in the country due to security concerns, but the app will still be available.

💻 OpenAI bought the domain name “chat.com” for over $10 million from HubSpot founder Dharmesh Shah… and paid him in shares, not cash. Cha-ching.

→ Fashion / E-commerce

₿ Crypto shares are surging after Trump’s election victory, signaling that traders expect regulations to soon be curbed.

👕 Despite an industry-wide luxury slowdown, Ralph Lauren is posting better-than-expected revenue targets.

🧥 LVMH took a minority stake in Swedish menswear brand Our Legacy, which has grown 5x in recent years.