Welcome back to Floor 9! In this episode, the Lab team breaks down the “betting on everything” trend, tracing the surge in sports betting and prediction markets and the spread of those mechanics across culture and business.

Led by your host Tom Trudeau, the team discusses the trend’s many manifestations, from status-symbol collectibles to frictionless betting apps. Then we unpack why this boom is happening, and ask whether it’s sustainable for society, or even for the platforms monetizing this trend. We debate sports betting vs. prediction markets, what tighter guardrails might look like, and where brands should draw the line. The team also shares some brand-safe ways to play, including bragging-rights challenges and other loyalty-driven tactics, that capitalize on on this trend.

For an in-depth written POV on this trend, please click here.

If you enjoyed the episode, please consider giving us a five-star review on Apple Podcast. Follow the Lab on Medium for our latest insights. Thanks for listening!

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Welcome back to Floor 9! In this episode, recorded on Thursday Sep. 18, Tom and Ryan, the power duo of our partnerships team, are joined by Lab’s managing director Adam to recap and discuss the latest announcements from Apple’s iPhone 17 event and the Meta Connect event.

Starting with Apple's new products, including the iPhone 17, new Apple Watch features, and the latest AirPods, the Lab team share their thoughts on some of the most exciting updates, such as the AirPods' new live translation feature.

The discussion then shifts to Meta's new Display AI glasses, debating their potential use cases and whether they justify the $800 price point. The hosts also touch upon Meta's focus on AI and how that compares to Apple's more conservative approach. The episode concludes with a broader conversation on the future of personal computing and whether wearable technology will one day replace smartphones for certain tasks.

You can read more about our thoughts on the two press events by reading our recaps of Apple’s iPhone 17 event and the Meta Connect event on Medium.

If you enjoyed the episode, please consider giving us a five-star review on Apple Podcast. Follow the Lab on LinkedIn and on Medium for our latest insights. Thanks for listening!

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Welcome back to another episode of Floor 9. For this episode, host Tom Trudeau chatted with Adam Simon and Richard Yao from the Lab’s strategy team about our latest insights on travel. Together, they discussed some of the biggest trends in the travel and hospitality sector in 2025, including the financialization of the travel industry, the increasing use of AI chatbots in trip planning, and the appeal of intentional under-planning and flexible travel. All these topics ladder up to a discussion about the future of a “connected trip” experience that is being shaped by shifting consumer expectations and AI adoption.

If you enjoyed the episode, please consider giving us a five-star review on Apple Podcast. Follow the Lab on LinkedIn and on Medium for our latest insights. Thanks for listening!

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.