With its holographic partners, Napster shifts to AI

A previous music streaming and file-sharing service. In an attempt to transition to an AI platform, Napster has released Napster 26, a $99 holographic display that projects 3D AI assistants onto Mac screens without the need for glasses. The specifics: Through the Napster View display, the platform provides over 15,000 AI companions, such as wellness coaches or coding experts, who manifest as 3D holograms. Additionally, users can build AI "digital twins" of themselves that, according to Napster, are able to manage an online profile, attend meetings, and respond to inquiries. This year, the 3D technology company Infinite Reality paid $207 million to acquire the business, transforming the music platform into an AI companion product. With memberships starting at $19 per month and the View hardware costing $99 or free with yearly agreements, Napster 26 is available for Mac users. This is a fairly crazy "rebrand," even though Napster's brand might bring back fond memories for kids from the 1990s. However, considering xAI's Grok companion moves, there might be a larger market for this experience than we realize. AI companies have been pushing AI that can watch user behaviors, and this hologram takes that experience very literally.