The Foursquare founder's new app is an AI-powered 'DJ' for neighborhood updates

Dennis Crowley's Latest Venture: AI-Powered "DJ" BeeBot Revolutionizes Neighborhood Updates with Contextual Audio

Foursquare co-founder Dennis Crowley has unveiled his latest project, BeeBot, an innovative app that leverages AI technology to deliver contextual audio updates to users' ears as they navigate their daily lives. The brainchild of Hopscotch Labs, a new company founded by Crowley, BeeBot is designed to be an "app for AirPods," working seamlessly with any type of headphones or smart glasses equipped with audio capabilities.

Upon activation, the app will push snippets of audio about nearby people, places, and events through its AI-powered voice assistant. Users can share their interests and connect with friends who are also using BeeBot to receive updates on local happenings, landmarks, and gossip from fellow users. The app's algorithm is powered by a mix of large language models (LLMs) and synthetic voices, creating an immersive experience that simulates the serendipity of in-person social interactions.

In a nod to its predecessor, Foursquare, BeeBot aims to recreate the playful spirit of OG Foursquare without its gamification features. Crowley acknowledges that the app is still in its infancy, likening its current state to Foursquare's debut at SXSW in 2009 โ€“ an interesting concept with room for growth.

To maintain user experience, BeeBot will only interrupt music or podcasts occasionally to provide updates, and voice or video calls remain uninterrupted. The app can be downloaded from the App Store, with Crowley's promise that users' feedback will shape the product into its full potential.
 
omg I just tried out this new bee bot thingy and it's so cool ๐Ÿ˜‚๐ŸŽง I was walking to school and it started playing audio about the person who was sitting next to me on the bus lol what a weird way to learn about people ๐Ÿคฃ but at the same time kinda interesting? I dunno if I'm gonna keep using it tho, maybe just when I wanna hear some fun facts about my neighborhood ๐Ÿ  I'm not sure how well it works with music tho, did they test that out or wut?
 
I'm not sure about this one ๐Ÿค”... I mean, on one hand, it sounds super cool! Imagine walking down the street and getting snippets of audio about what's happening around you - it could be really interesting ๐Ÿ˜ฎ. But at the same time, I don't know if I want to be bombarded with info all the time ๐Ÿ™…โ€โ™‚๏ธ... like, can't I just enjoy my music in peace? And what if the updates are super annoying or irrelevant? ๐Ÿšซ I'm also a bit concerned about privacy and who's collecting all this data on me ๐Ÿคฏ. But hey, I do love Dennis Crowley's entrepreneurial spirit ๐Ÿ’ผ, so fingers crossed BeeBot grows into something amazing! ๐Ÿ‘
 
I gotta say, this thing sounds super annoying ๐Ÿ™„. Like, I get it, it's trying to make social interactions more convenient and whatnot, but do we really need our ears blasted with random audio updates all day? Can't we just use headphones for music or something instead of being constantly interrupted by BeeBot's chatter? And what's up with the AI-powered voice assistant not getting tired of repeating the same info over and over again? I'm sure it'd get on my nerves after a few minutes of listening to the same gossip about that new coffee shop downtown. And don't even get me started on how this is gonna affect our personal space... can we just have some peace and quiet anymore? ๐Ÿ™…โ€โ™‚๏ธ
 
omg this is so cool ๐Ÿ˜ I mean i was just walking down the street yesterday and i saw this crazy thing happening - like a street performer doing some sick beats but also telling you about the new coffee shop that just opened up ๐ŸŽถ๐Ÿ‘€ it would be lit if your headphones could do that for u!!! but seriously, the idea of AI-powered audio updates is so futuristic, like something straight outta a movie ๐Ÿค–๐Ÿ“บ i'm low-key excited to try this out and see how it goes. hope they don't mess it up lol ๐Ÿ˜‚
 
I'm intrigued by this new thing, BeeBot ๐Ÿค”. It's like a digital version of those serendipitous encounters we have in real life, but amplified through AI-powered audio snippets. I wonder if it's possible to truly recreate that feeling of stumbling upon something interesting and relevant without the need for structured interactions... or is it just our brains craving that same sense of discovery? ๐Ÿคทโ€โ™‚๏ธ The idea of having an app that respects your music or podcast time, too, feels like a breath of fresh air in today's world. It's almost as if we're reevaluating what it means to be "interrupted" in the digital age... and whether that's always a bad thing ๐Ÿ˜Š.
 
I'm not sold on this whole BeeBot thing ๐Ÿ˜. It just feels like another novelty app that's more gimmicky than useful. I mean, who actually wants to hear audio updates about nearby people and places? And what's up with the idea of an "app for AirPods"? Is that really a thing anyone is going to use? ๐Ÿค”

I also don't get why Dennis Crowley is trying to recreate Foursquare without its gamification features. Wasn't that part of its appeal? Without it, does BeeBot even have any real value? ๐Ÿค‘ And what's with the emphasis on "serendipity" - isn't that just code for "we're going to make you hear annoying audio snippets"? ๐ŸŽต
 
OMG you guys ๐Ÿคฏ I'm literally low-key obsessed with this new BeeBot thing! It sounds like the ultimate wingman for your daily life - getting snippets of info about people & places around you? Game changer! ๐Ÿ˜‚ And that they've incorporated AI & LLMs to make it super contextual is just genius ๐Ÿ’ก. Can't wait to try it out myself and see how it goes ๐Ÿค”๐Ÿ’ป
 
๐Ÿค” I gotta say, this BeeBot thingy sounds kinda neat, but also super confusing. Like, what even is the point of getting audio updates about people around you? Don't get me wrong, it's cool that it can simulate in-person social interactions and all that jazz ๐ŸŽถ... but won't that just be annoying if someone's having a bad day or trying to focus on their podcast?

I mean, have you considered how this would work with, like, public events or protests? Would the app just start blasting audio info about, say, a police arrest or something? I don't know, man... it sounds like it could be super invasive. And what about people who are deaf or hard of hearing? Are they gonna have to rely on someone else to translate the updates for them?

I guess my main concern is that this app's algorithm might not be as sophisticated as the devs claim. I've seen AI stuff go haywire before, and it's always a risk when you're combining language models with synthetic voices. Still, I'm curious to see how this plays out... maybe they'll figure out a way to make it work ๐Ÿคž
 
omg just read about this new app BeeBot and I'm low-key obsessed ๐Ÿคฏ it's like having a personal DJ for your daily life lol how cool is it that you can get audio updates about ppl around u? idk if its genius or creepy but i need to try it out ASAP... Crowley's vision of recreating Foursquare's playfulness without the gamification makes sense 2 me ๐Ÿค” I also love how they're focusing on user feedback 2 make it more personal and fun who else is excited about this?
 
omg ๐Ÿคฏ just heard about this new app BeeBot and i am HOOKED it sounds like a game changer for neighborhoods who want to stay connected ๐Ÿ“ฒ๐Ÿ‘ฅ the AI-powered voice assistant is genius, imagine walking down the street and hearing snippets of audio about the people around you ๐Ÿ‘‚๐Ÿผ or what's happening at the local cafe โ˜•๏ธ it's like having your own personal tour guide but way more interesting ๐Ÿ—บ๏ธ Crowley's nod to Foursquare is awesome too, it's cool that he's taking a different approach this time around ๐Ÿ’ก
 
Wow ๐Ÿค–๐Ÿ’ก this tech is so cool, an AI-powered DJ bot that knows what's going on in your neighborhood! Interesting how it uses large language models and synthetic voices to make it feel like you're having a conversation with locals... I can imagine walking down the street with my AirPods and suddenly hearing out some juicy gossip or fun facts about nearby spots. The fact that it won't interrupt important calls or music is super considerate, too!
 
I gotta say, this AI-powered BeeBot thing is kinda like a social media platform for your ears! ๐Ÿคฏ It's like Facebook, but instead of just seeing what your friends are up to, you're actually hearing it in your ear! And just like how we have likes and comments on socials, with BeeBot, users can share their interests and get updates from their friends. But let's be real, who's gonna pay for this fancy app? ๐Ÿค‘ It's like Crowley is trying to create a new economy around sharing info... or is that just the government trying to control our daily lives again? ๐Ÿค” And what about the algorithms behind it? Are they like the ones used by Google and Facebook? Or are they more open to user feedback? I mean, we should be worried about corporate interests shaping our personal info... wait a minute, Crowley's got his own company now! It sounds like we're getting into some serious tech vs policy debates here ๐Ÿ˜ฌ
 
Dude, this BeeBot thing is super sketchy ๐Ÿค–. I mean, what's next? AI-powered Alexa for your socks to tell you when they need to be washed? Sounds like something out of a sci-fi movie, but at the same time... it kinda makes sense? We're living in a world where our headphones are basically listening devices, so why not use that tech to share info about the people around us? The more I think about it, the creepier it gets ๐Ÿ˜ฌ. Crowley's all like "oh, we just want to bring back the Foursquare vibe," but what if this is the real deal? What if BeeBot becomes a platform for... I don't know, some kind of social control? Anyway, I'll be keeping an eye on this one ๐Ÿ‘€.
 
omg i'm so hyped about beebot lol it's like having my own personal tour guide and social butterfly all rolled into one ๐Ÿคฉ๐Ÿ” i mean who wouldn't want to know what's going on in their neighborhood just by wearing a headset? the idea of sharing interests with friends and getting local gossip is genius ๐Ÿค“๐Ÿ‘ฅ Crowley should totally collaborate with some popular podcasts or music streaming services so we can get more contextual audio that's actually relevant to our lives ๐Ÿ’ก๐ŸŽถ
 
just heard about this beebot thingy ๐Ÿ๐Ÿ’ป sounds super cool i mean who wouldn't wanna get audio updates about their neighborhood as they walk around its like having your own personal narrator or something i can see how it could be kinda annoying if you're just trying to listen to music but only occasionally getting some info thrown at you thats the beauty of it Crowley knows that and hes working on it

ive been thinking maybe its a good thing that beebot isnt as gamified as foursquare was back in the day i mean people were always comparing scores and stuff which can get pretty boring i think this new vibe of sharing interests with friends could be really cool if done right just imagine being able to hear about what your neighbor is up to or something
 
๐Ÿค–๐ŸŽต AI-powered DJ BeeBot is like a social butterfly but for your ears ๐Ÿœ๐Ÿ’ฌ Imagine walking down the street and getting the latest scoop on who's wearing what or where the nearest coffee shop is ๐Ÿต๐Ÿ‘€ Meanwhile, your AirPods are having a rave party ๐ŸŽ‰๐Ÿ˜‚
 
omg this bee bot thingy is so cool ๐Ÿค–! i mean can u imagine walking down the street and hearing snippets of info about the people and places around u? it's like having your own personal podcast guide ๐Ÿ˜Š. but what im really stoked about is how it connects ppl with similar interests, kinda like how foursquare used to be (minus the gamification, lol). Crowley's trying to tap into that community vibe without being too pushy or spammy... fingers crossed his team can make it work seamlessly ๐Ÿ’ป.
 
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