Build-A-Bear CEO Talks Target Customer Evolution and Appealing to Adults
Build-A-Bear CEO Sharon Price John joined Cheddar News this week to talk about the evolution of the stuffed animal business. For years, the brand has been geared toward children, but now the company is pivoting to expand its target customer base. "So there are actually two really great examples of how we've evolved from just a kid's based company to also appealing to teens and adults with now 40 percent of our sales to teens and adults. And that over indexes to our e-commerce business," she said.
OpenAI has announced that ChatGPT will soon engage in "erotica for verified adults." CEO Sam Altman says the company aims to allow more user freedom for adults while setting limits for teens. OpenAI isn't the first to explore sexualized AI, but previous attempts have faced legal and societal challenges. Altman believes OpenAI isn't the "moral police" and wants to differentiate content similar to how Hollywood differentiates R-rated movies. This move could help OpenAI, which is losing money, turn a profit. However, experts express concerns about the impact on real-world relationships and the potential for misuse.
CNN is launching a new “All Access” streaming subscription in the U.S. on October 28th, priced at $6.99 a month, or just $69.99 if you sign up for a full year.