Take a look at the headlines that caught our eye this week.
- Sephora is betting on sexual wellness, bringing its online-only products from Maude in-store, per Vogue. Sexual wellness products have gone mainstream: vibrators, lubricants, and massage candles from Maude and Dame began selling from Sephora's "Intimate care" online section in the spring of 2022.
- Electric travel by land is making strides. Starting in 2035, new cars sold in the European Union must have zero emissions, according to the BBC.
- Of course, AI advancements are still making waves around the world. The UK Government unveiled the first artificial intelligence white paper this week, aimed to drive responsible growth and innovation with the technology according to a Government Press Release. A generative AI tool, called Pressto, is teaching children how to write, per Fast Company.
- The Verge reported that Twitter's "For You" page will only recommend verified accounts, and voting in polls will also be limited to verified users, as a new class of media memberships continue to evolve on social platforms.
- Luxury haircare brand Oribe launched its Serene Scalp Oil collection on Monday - the latest extension of the skinification and supercharged hair health product offerings, according to Glossy.
- Meta insists that the metaverse is "still the next big thing" according to Bloomberg. Despite layoffs, many still have interest in this "extension of our digital lives into the digital realm," as Fabricant CEO and founder Kerry Murphy tells Wudnerman Thompson Intelligence.
- Ikea launched a solar-powered lighting collection with Olarfur Eliasson's Little Sun social enterprise, via Wallpaper. The limited-edition collection aims to raise awareness of alternative energy sources, as many high-design spaces embrace the illumination of solar tech.
- Cannabis dining has become very mainstream. This week, Ben Cohen of the Ben & Jerry's brand announced his new nonprofit called Ben's Best Blnz. The brand will sell low-THC pre-rolls and full-spectrum vapes, and 100% of its profits will benefit three organizations: The Last Prisoner Project, Vermont Racial Justice Alliance, and NuProject, per Fast Company.
- Banter, a cafe in New York City's West Village, is now owned by its employees according to Time Out. The news feels like an overlap of a next-gen sharing economy and new networking norms, both led by gen Z.
