Akool Live Camera uses AI to capture human movement and mimic that movement with a generated virtual avatar in real time. Akool can also translate speech in real time during a virtual meeting and also provide instant face swapping during a call. The AI technology listens to conversations in one language and instantly translates them into the selected target language, providing real-time, synchronized audio that matches the avatar’s lip movements and facial expressions. The company also offers lip-syncing for avatars in real time, where the avatar lip movements can match the words being spoken by a person in real time. This Akool Live Camera tool is a part of the Akool Live Suite, a first-of-its-kind collection of products that features live, real-time video generation with minimal delay. The suite includes live avatars, live face swap, video translation, and real-time video generation. Akool Live Camera sets a new standard in AI-powered video generation technology, going well beyond scripted, text-based prompts. This opens up a new array of possibilities for virtual meetings and live streams, especially when connecting with international audiences. Akool Live Camera is an interactive engine that simulates human presence dynamically, analyzing live audio/visual inputs to generate responsive avatars with expressions and contextual awareness. The combination of Akool’s AI and intuitive design empowers creators, educators and enterprises to connect more authentically and efficiently than ever. Key capabilities of Akool Live Camera include: Unmatched live interaction, Real-time multilingual translation, Dynamic expression and gesture mapping, Cross-platform versatility, Privacy-forward design,` and Market- and audience-specific customization.
Cantaloupe’s Smart Aisle like Amazon Go is relying on 3D cameras, AI, and weighted-shelf technology to analyze motion and keep track of transactions
Self-service commerce company Cantaloupe is debuting new products designed to promote frictionless retail at the National Automatic Merchandising Association (NAMA) Show. The Go Micro kiosk is Cantaloupe’s newest self-service micro market kiosk, designed with affordability, versatility and seamless management in mind. Its compact footprint, integrated barcode scanner and five-inch touchscreen provide a seamless checkout experience for consumers and enables operators to manage all their markets regardless of size. The Cantaloupe Smart Aisle is a 24/7 frictionless retail experience that operates without an attendant, relying instead on 3D cameras, AI, and weighted-shelf technology to analyze motion and keep track of transactions. Customers provide a payment method to enter, and while inside they can grab any item, which is added to their virtual cart in real time. Customers verify their cart before leaving, and the transaction is completed and payment method charged upon exit. Cantaloupe will also be displaying its self-service payment solutions: HABCO will feature a Cooler Café unit with Cantaloupe’s P30 card reader and Smart Lock connect technology; AVS will highlight the Go Micro kiosk and a lineup of Cantaloupe card readers; IDW will showcase the Go MiniX and a Cooler Café unit; ID TECH will display the Go Plus100 kiosk and Imbera will show the Go MiniX kiosk equipped with the P30 card reader. Lastly, Cantaloupe will provide demonstrations of its latest product releases within the Seed software suite, including powerful new tools that bring AI into operators’ everyday platform experience.
Forward-flow funding offers a reliable way to offload credit exposure and tap into short-duration, yield-generating assets by using granular, behavior-based data to underwrite and monitor risk
Forward-flow funding is emerging as a key capital access strategy for FinTech-enabled SMB lenders, offering a structured, upfront capital commitment from investors to support continuous loan origination and efficient risk offloading. For SMB lenders, particularly those in the FinTech space, this model provides a reliable way to offload credit exposure and recycle capital quickly. For investors, it offers predictable access to loan assets under predefined terms, often backed by real-time or near-real-time performance data. The appeal of forward-flow funding lies in its structural elegance and practical utility. Rather than waiting to secure capital post-origination or bundling loans into pools for one-off sales, lenders can secure capital commitments upfront. This allows them to maintain a continuous lending cadence, a crucial advantage in markets where speed and responsiveness define customer retention. What sets FinTech-enabled forward flow apart from its traditional counterparts is the use of alternative data to underwrite and monitor risk. This granular, behavior-based data creates a dynamic risk profile for SMB borrowers, enabling forward-flow buyers to evaluate and price credit risk with unprecedented precision. In turn, this has opened the door for more agile, customizable forward-flow structures — with investors opting for specific credit boxes or sectors, and even fine-tuning risk-return profiles based on real-time triggers. Forward-flow agreements offer a way to tap into short-duration, yield-generating assets while retaining some control over credit exposure. Merchant cash advances, invoice factoring, equipment financing and revenue-based financing are all seeing similar structural integrations. As underwriting models evolve, these products are increasingly being bundled into forward-flow arrangements to cater to investors with specific sectoral or product appetites. By integrating funding at the infrastructure level, these platforms can offer seamless, data-driven credit products that scale efficiently.
Moderne and Diffblue partner to support app modernization by combining automated and deterministic code refactoring across entire codebases, autonomous agentic AI testing to catch potential bugs before they happen
Automated code refactoring company Moderne and AI-powered unit test writing agent developer Diffblue announced a partnership to deliver an integrated solution for enterprise application modernization. By joining forces, the two companies aim to help large organizations will be able to upgrade and modernize applications based on extremely large codebases with greater speed with less worry. The collaboration combines Moderne’s code transformation capabilities with Diffblue’s autonomous agentic AI testing capabilities to catch potential bugs before they happen. Moderne is built on the OpenRewrite open-source project, which provides automated, safe and scalable transformation across entire codebases. It’s deterministic, which means that it’s predictable for any task, including cloud migration, framework upgrades, security fixes and language updates. That’s important because the larger the codebase, the greater the chance that any update could introduce an issue — updating from an older version of Java, for example, version 8 to a more modern version such as 17. Through the integration, Diffblue’s testing capabilities will be built directly into Moderne’s OpenRewrite recipes so they can run at large scale during application transformation. They will also be activated within Moderne’s multi-repository AI agent, Moddy, to provide test coverage for mass-scale changes.
364-day bridge loans are funding acquisitions in a ‘sponsor-backed LBO’ style lowering the holding risk, but without requiring selling of bonds or leveraged loans
Junk-rated companies and private equity firms have lined up about $17 billion of debt recently for purchases of everything from power plants to a chain of gas stations. But they are using an unusual tool for that financing: the 364-day bridge loan. Wall Street firms look to sell that debt to investors but often agree to provide that funding even if markets are closed, and they have to hang onto the risk for years. “It is very rare to see this structure in a sponsor-backed LBO,” said Peter Toal, Barclays’ global head of fixed income, referring to 364-day loans. “In times of volatility, it’s an easier structure for the banks to commit to, no question about it.” After junk-bond and leveraged-loan markets effectively closed last month in the wake of President Donald Trump’s tariff announcements, banks were stuck holding onto billions of dollars of debt they couldn’t sell to investors. Hanging onto that debt can translate to hits to earnings for Wall Street firms. Now, borrowers are getting 364-day bridges that are effectively lines of credit for their acquisitions, which they can tap if they can’t sell bonds or leveraged loans before they close their acquisition. A significant number of buyouts financed in the leveraged loan market feature ratings in the B tier. Most of the companies getting 364-day bridge loans now, though, have grades in the BB tier, and sometimes their secured debt carries investment-grade ratings. Herc, for one, has an overall high-yield profile with a Ba2 rating from Moody’s Investors Service and an equivalent BB from S&P Global Ratings while its $750 million loan earned the lowest rung of investment-grade with a Baa3 rating by Moody’s and BBB- by S&P. At NRG, the firm’s senior-secured debt is rated BBB- by Fitch Ratings and S&P, the company said in an investor presentation detailing its acquisition plans this week.
‘Swipe fatigue’ is driving dating apps to roll out invite-only profiles, psychological assessments and real-life networking to offer curated lifestyle choices
In an era of “dating app burnout”—a mix of emotional, mental and physical exhaustion from using dating apps; termed as “swipe fatigue,” an invite-only app profile or in-person service can carry more promise than a thousand aimless swipes. This shift is redefining what dating tech can look like, encouraging entrepreneurs in the space to focus less on algorithms and more on curated community. This “swipe fatigue” has become so widespread that even cultural commentators have taken note. The dating app industry, a $5 billion market, has been dominated by big players for years, but their growth is slowing down in the face of user dissatisfaction. Match Group, owner of Tinder, reported declining users and saw its stock tumble in late 2024 (subscription required), a sign that Wall Street is also feeling the “swipe fatigue.” Exclusive apps are just the beginning. Founders are launching niche platforms that blend technology with high-end matchmaking. Now, a new generation of startups is pushing the dating concept further, such as combining exclusivity with psychological assessments in order to match high-profile individuals based on deeper personality traits rather than superficial criteria. Even established dating companies are adapting under this pressure: Seeing the popularity of exclusivity, apps like Hinge and Tinder have rolled out pricier tiers and features to cater to “intentional” daters. Dating services are also branching into real-life networking, with some apps hosting members-only events at upscale venues, blurring the line between dating app and social club. The idea is to offer a lifestyle, not just an app.
Walmart’s move to combine retail footprint, pharmacy logistics and insurance-based wellness programs and Amazon’s use of automation, personalization and AI points towards retail shifting beyond transactions toward ecosystems
Amazon and Walmart are no longer just retail competitors; they’re battling to control broader life infrastructures — shopping, healthcare, media and cloud. From AI-powered experiences to healthcare integration and strategic real estate moves to navigating economic uncertainty, the strategies of Amazon and Walmart are converging while remaining distinct. Their maneuvers paint a picture of a future where retail is not just about transactions, but about ecosystems. In a move that signals a future beyond visual browsing, Amazon recently began testing AI-generated audio summaries for products in its mobile app, a clear signal Amazon wants to reduce friction in product discovery, especially on mobile and voice-enabled platforms. This dovetails with the broader strategy of turning the shopping experience into a more passive, streamlined and personalized interaction, keeping users within its ecosystem. Amazon is also investing heavily in AI-enhanced developer tools (e.g., through Amazon Q Developer), suggesting that innovations like the audio summaries are only the beginning of a larger internal transformation. Amazon is diversifying revenue through digital services and AI tools, potentially offsetting retail volatility. Walmart is leveraging scale and supply chain efficiencies, aggressively expanding beyond its traditional domain, opening its largest centralized prescription fulfillment center. In tandem, Walmart is integrating Medicare Advantage benefits into its stores, allowing customers to use their supplemental health funds on wellness products. The aim to combine retail footprint, pharmacy logistics and insurance-based wellness programs represents a model that could rival traditional healthcare providers, especially in underserved areas. These developments signal a fork in retail strategy. For its own part, Walmart’s volume-based physical retail play is one that increasingly focuses on infrastructure and logistics (healthcare, fulfillment and real estate). On the other hand, Amazon’s experience- and tech-driven retail pushes automation, personalization and AI integration.
Pinterest now lets shoppers use a “more expansive visual ‘vocabulary’ to ‘describe’ their style ideas.- generating the words they can use to figure out what they like about the image, and then further explore and shop
Pinterest is introducing new features to let users find ideas that match their personal tastes. The new visual search tools will first be available for women’s fashion content in the U.S., Canada and the U.K., eventually moving to more categories. The new tools let users find what they’re searching for without using words, by breaking down and decoding images so users can quickly search and shop for the details of an outfit they like. “Whether it’s an overall aesthetic, a color palette, a specific fit, or product category, when users view a Pin, we’ll now generate the words they can use to figure out what they like about the image, and then further explore and shop,” the company said. To help users identify and select the objects that they want more easily, the company says it has added a new animated glow. Also new is a “refinement bar” to help users narrow down their search results and find things that match their style. The company said the new search options are powered by visual language models (VLMs), a form of generative artificial intelligence (AI), to offer users a “more expansive visual ‘vocabulary’ to ‘describe’ their style ideas.” “Our visual search technology represents a shift in how users interact with and discover inspiration,” Dana Cho, Pinterest vice president of design, said. “We’re not simply delivering search results — we’re curating a personalized journey of discovery that empowers individuals to find their unique style, and shop it too.”
New BNPL platform connects merchants and BNPL providers in over 25 countries using a single API and intelligent routing supporting SMEs to choose the right provider
Germany-based fintech GreenBanana has launched its BNPL platform, blplx.io, to optimize the retail sector for both merchants and customers. The platform connects merchants and BNPL providers in over 25 countries using a single API and intelligent routing. It supports SMEs and international enterprise retailers, allowing them to choose the right provider more easily and at scale. The platform uses machine learning to route transactions in real-time to the most suitable providers, ensuring an optimal customer experience and increasing merchant approval rates. BNPL is an evolving payment solution in Germany, with the market expected to grow by 11.7% annually to reach USD 69.55 billion by 2025.
Survey reveals growing preference for seamless and invisible payments: in-app purchasing ability is most desired for food & beverage; millennials and Gen Zers prefer recurring payments
Among parents with children under 25 living at home, 72% say they would prefer to pay for everything through an app if they could, compared to 53% of consumers overall, according to a new survey from embedded payments infrastructure company NMI. Nearly two-thirds (64%) of Gen Z and millennials say they’ll take their business elsewhere if in-app payments aren’t an option. Sixty-eight percent of those surveyed want to use in-app payments for food and beverage purchases, like restaurants, coffee shops, bars and delivery services. Retail lands in the number two spot, with 53% of consumers opting for in-app payments in this sector. On average, 37% of consumers are interested in using apps to pay for everyday services like car washes and dry cleaning, and 30% for home services such as landscaping and plumbing. Among parents, the interest in these sectors rises significantly to 49% and 42%, respectively. The subscription model is especially popular among millennials (69%) and Gen Zers (66%), who prefer recurring payments for frequently used goods and services. There is also a rising preference for invisible transactions, as 64% of respondents embrace biometric authentication like Face ID or fingerprints, and 59% say the best transactions are the ones that feel like they never happened. Four-in-10 (43%) baby boomers are uncomfortable using biometric authentication, while 40% embrace it for its speed, security and convenience. In-app payments are set to play an even bigger role in business choice throughout 2025. Nearly six-in-10 (59%) consumers say it’s important that merchants offer app-based payments, and half (50%) would choose a business that does over one that doesn’t. Already, half of respondents use in-app payments weekly or more, and 55% expect to increase their usage this year.