6 things to read this week (24.07.17)
Rewind my week to fast forward yours #31
Emoji updates as a social mirror, mobile money in China, Instagrammable restaurants, a deep dive into AI, Chinese tourists and the death of US retail . Enjoy!

đ¸ We finally have an answer to what will come after the dark, distressed, âvintageâ (faux) industrial chic of hipster 2007âonwards. Drumroll pleaseâŚbright, flamboyant, neon, pastels etc. are here to stay. And itâs all thanks to Instagram. Although as the authors note: the speed with which Insta-trends explode mean even the most original designs can quickly feel dated. The status race accelerates. Again ;)
đ It was World Emoji Day recently, and on that momentous day, Apple announced details of its latest library updates, complete with beards and breastfeeding mothers. Perhaps future historians will write theses on our emoji use, and what it says about our societies.
đŽ HBR takes a look at where and how AI will transform processes, organizations and entire industries. Worth reading if youâre still not convinced that AI is going to be the driver behind the biggest trends of the next decade (just as mobile has been this last decade). And a great excuse to feature the epic muffin-dog image :)

đ¸ Still think that âemergingâ markets follow Western trends? Yet another article reminding us that tomorrowâs trends are happening in those âemergingâ markets, today. One interesting insight: because Chinaâs mobile money is so embedded into the local social platforms, itâs getting harder for visitors to access them.
đ¨đł From money within China, to the spending of Chinese abroad. Shock horror, the Chinese might not be that dissimilar to the rest of the worldâs population: preferring experiences over material goods once a certain level of comfort and affluence is reached. Shopping dropped to third place as the motivation for Chinaâs 122 million outbound tourists last year, behind sightseeing, recreation and entertainment (it was second placed in 2015).
đ Of course, itâs not as though the rest of the world remains static either. The impact of ecommerce might have played out a bit slower in the US than other markets, but many think it will hit in the next 12â18 months. Hard.
Will the death of US retail be the next big short?
(Note: FT paywall)

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