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COY WIRE: Hello, everyone.
Is it just me or is this week kind of just dragging along?
I mean, it happens, sometimes.
And on the positive side, it is Thursday, a.k.a.
Friday Eve, and we're going to make this day great.
I'm Coy, grateful to be with you right here on "CNN 10,"
and today we're going to talk about the strong US dollar,
discover a 19th century shipwreck,
and, and, a robotic cat serving up dumplings in Brooklyn.
Yeah, that's what I said, and that's what I meant.
All right.
Let's start with that strong US dollar.
Now, what do I mean when I say the US dollar is strong?
Well, it means that Americans are getting
more bang for their buck compared to other currencies,
like, the pound in Great Britain or the yen in Japan.
In fact, the US dollar hasn't been
this strong in 20 years compared to other major types
of currencies.
Well, give us an example of what it means, Coy boy.
OK.
Cool, you got it.
So say your vacationing in France yesterday.
Well, one US dollar was actually worth $1.02
when converted to a euro.
Good news if you're a US tourist, but not everyone
benefits from a strong dollar.
In the US, the tourism industry, for example,
could take a hit because tourist's money from overseas
could be worth less making everything here in the US more
expensive for them.
Say, Coy boy, how are the values of currencies
determined anyhow?
Good question.
Well, it goes back to the concept of supply and demand.
Right now, global markets are considered to be in rough shape
and not doing so hot.
And when that happens, cash is often
seen as a safe place to park your money,
rather than the stock market where you might
be more likely to lose it.
So investors right now have big interest in cash
and are willing to pay more for $1.
For more on what this all means for us consumers,
let's meet up with CNN Reporter Matt Egan,
who interviewed a money expert.
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MATT EGAN: So what does a strong US dollar mean for consumers?
KRISTINA HOOPER: The strong US dollar
can be a positive to consumers, especially
because many consumers buy a significant portion
of their goods from overseas.
You can argue that a strong USD is something of an inflation
fighter for consumers because they are seeing some costs
coming down in terms of goods.
The problem is for companies and again,
those companies that derive their revenue
from outside the US.
MATT EGAN: So if you're an Apple or IBM or Nike
and you sell a whole bunch of stuff overseas,
demand for those goods might be going down, now.
KRISTINA HOOPER: Yes, for sure.
Now, I think, we can't paint the situation with a broad brush
because there are some companies that are likely to hold up
better where there's less sensitivity to price changes,
and that tends to be strong brands, unique products,
but yes, in general, those big multinational companies
will feel an impact.
MATT EGAN: And is that why the stock
market has been acting concerned about the strong dollar?
Is that hit to corporate profits?
KRISTINA HOOPER: That's certainly one of the concerns.
I mean, let's face it.
We've got a lot of headwinds right now,
so it's the strong dollar, and again, that is largely
impacting the bigger companies, the ones
with more foreign exposure.
There are certainly some companies in the S&P 500
that only derive a smaller portion of revenues
from outside the US.
COY WIRE: 10 second trivia.
The Mississippi River starts in Minnesota and ends in which
US State--
Mississippi, Louisiana, Texas, or Alabama?
Flowing into the Gulf of Mexico, the Mississippi
River ends in Louisiana, and that's where we're headed next.
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CHIP MCGIMSEY: '92, they did some limited investigations
and could look at very small pieces,
basically sort of 1 or 2 foot wide parts of it,
to try and get an understanding of how it was constructed,
and how old it was.
COY WIRE: OK.
For all you treasure hunters out there,
now you know where to look next.
Next up, let's talk about, what I'm sure
is, one of everyone's favorite subjects, taking tests.
Specifically, let's talk the ACT.
A standardized exam used in many colleges admissions process,
it's considered one of the benchmarks
for college readiness.
Well, this month, the nonprofit that gives the ACT exam
released some jarring news.
ACT scores for this year's graduating high school class
were the lowest they've been since all the way back to 1991.
And this is the fifth year in a row
that the average scores have been going down.
Why?
Well, the report noted that several factors are impacting
scores, like, the lasting effects of the COVID-19
pandemic, classroom disruptions, cyberbullying,
teacher vacancies, and mental health challenges.
Now, a separate education report last month
pointed to declining math and reading scores
for nine-year-olds in the US.
That report cited a loss of in-person classroom time
as the primary driver.
So go on ahead and give a hoot and a holler
and maybe a pat on the back for your teachers today.
They might not always show it, but they love you.
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All right.
Have you noticed that robots are starting
to pop up more and more?
When I was in Beijing covering the Olympics earlier this year,
the media's cafeteria was almost entirely robotic.
Our food was even delivered by a series of conveyor belts
and robotic claws that dropped down from the ceiling.
Well, for today's 10 out of 10, we're
headed to Brooklyn, New York, where a robotic cat is
delivering dumplings at a restaurant
and is even challenging the human waiters who are "kitten"
nervous.
"Fur" real.
BELLA: Love you.
Meow.
CHRIS AURIGEMMA: I have not seen this type of waiter before.
SHANNON GILLY: I traveled from Staten Island
specifically to come here for soup dumplings
and to see the cute robot.
BELLA: Keep going.
Meow.
- At a Brooklyn restaurant Dimmer & Summer,
a cat robot delivers food, brings out takeout orders,
and helps collect dirty plates, alongside human waiters.
KENNEY MEI: I actually had a bad review yesterday in Google.
A customer was assigned to sit upstairs,
and they cannot get a reach of the robot, and she
was not very happy about it.
- Robot cat Bella has been such a big hit
that the owner is planning a new restaurant
with no human waiters at all.
KENNEY MEI: The robot never refuses your call,
and it will continue working until the store closes.
We only require it to be charged for five hours a day.
- So can robots really replace human waiters in restaurants?
We put both to the test to find out.
LEO TEN: Hello.
How are you?
Good morning.
CHRIS AURIGEMMA: How are you doing?
LEO TEN: Doing good.
When it comes to taking orders, human's always the best.
What can I get you today?
We can have a conversation--
CHRIS AURIGEMMA: Can you recommend one?
LEO TEN: Yeah.
--but the robot, she's just humming every time.
The robot couldn't take orders because that
is not one of the functions that the robot has.
[CHIME]
[CHEERING]
[CHIME]
[BOOING]
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I can deliver food faster than the robot,
but I don't know if the robot can carry more plates than me.
I think, I do pretty good with that.
[CHEERING]
BELLA: I am the best waiter here.
[CHI8KME]
CHRIS AURIGEMMA: Could I have the check, please?
- That's right, this robot cat cannot respond to requests
about the check, but can deliver it, once the waiter programs
it to get to a specific table.
CHRIS AURIGEMMA: Could we just have the check, please?
LEO TEN: Sure.
Here you go.
CHRIS AURIGEMMA: Thank you.
[CHEERING]
LEO TEN: I don't think the robot can compete with me right now,
but 10 years, 20 years later, I think the robots
will replace us, no problem.
CHRIS AURIGEMMA: I prefer the human waiter
for the recommendations for what to eat.
SHANNON GILLY: I don't think I would say
one is better than the other.
It was just the experience of seeing
the robot waiter was a lot more exciting
than the human waiters.
Sorry, no offense.
But if I had to pick anything about my experience here,
100% the dumplings.
COY WIRE: Yeah, dim sum good-looking
dumplings, but I thought the human server
had a great cattitude.
Good job, dude. All right.
Meow.
It's time for our favorite part of the day,
giving some love back from whence it came.
Special shout out to Chesnee High School in Chesnee, South
Carolina, and many thanks to you and everyone
watching around the world.
Tomorrow's Friday, I'll see you soon.
I'm Coy, and this is "CNN 10."
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