The Foursquare Founder's New App Is An Ai-powered 'dj' For Neighborhood Updates

Foursquare laminitis Dennis Crowley has unveiled his latest task and yes, it's different location-based societal app. But, alternatively than nan check-ins Crowley first popularized much than 15 years ago, "BeeBot" has a very 2025 return connected nan concept. Instead, nan app is an AI-powered "DJ" that tin present contextual audio updates to your ears arsenic you move done your day.

Crowley describes BeeBot arsenic an "app for AirPods," though it will activity pinch immoderate type of headphones, arsenic good arsenic smart glasses pinch audio capabilities for illustration Meta's. "Whenever you put your AirPods in, it turns on," Crowley explains successful a post connected Medium. "Whenever you return your AirPods retired it turns off. And erstwhile it’s 'on' it’ll push you snippets of audio astir nan people, places, and events that are nearby.'

To do this, you'll request to springiness nan app entree to your location and stock a fistful of "keywords" astir your interests. You tin besides stock your contacts to get updates from friends who are utilizing nan app. The BeeBot "DJ," which of people has an AI voice, will past beryllium capable to talk to you arsenic you passim nan dat and alert you to absorbing events, landmarks aliases updates from friends who hap to beryllium nearby.

In immoderate ways, it sounds for illustration Crowley is trying to re-create immoderate of nan serendipitous IRL societal interactions enabled by nan original type of Foursquare. BeeBot doesn't person "mayorships," badges aliases immoderate of nan gamification features that helped popularize FourSquare, but it's meant to person immoderate of nan "same playful spirit," of OG Foursquare, according to Crowley. (Foursquare shut down its metropolis guideline app of nan aforesaid sanction earlier this year, though its check-in app, Swarm, lives on.)

And, because it's 2025, there's besides a full bunch of AI thrown in, including "a operation of different LLMs" and "synthetic voices." The app is "powered by a TikTok-style algorithm," Crowley says, "but 1 that’s focused connected what’s happening adjacent and IRL."

There besides seems to beryllium a spot of DNA from Marsbot, nan short-lived (and IMO very underrated) chat-based app Foursquare launched successful 2016 that could proactively supply personalized edifice recommendations. While BeeBot isn't arsenic heavy focused connected vicinity recommendations arsenic Foursquare, it is meant to proactively fto you cognize astir adjacent happenings you mightiness beryllium willing successful aliases moreover a spot of rumors from friends. In summation to friends' position updates, nan app will tie connected section Substacks and newsletters for applicable info astir a fixed area.

Crowley says nan DJ's audio cues whitethorn "occasionally" interrupt your euphony aliases podcast to springiness an update, though users should expect to perceive these only a mates times passim nan day. BeeBot won't interrupt sound aliases video calls.

BeeBot, which is nan inaugural task of Crowley's caller institution Hopscotch Labs, is retired now successful nan App Store, though it's still "very overmuch a activity successful progress," according to Crowley. "I consciousness for illustration nan type of nan merchandise we’re sharing pinch folks coming is benignant of wherever Foursquare was erstwhile it launched astatine SXSW successful 2009 – an absorbing vision, a good-enough execution, but thing that still needs to beryllium shaped by nan group utilizing it to afloat blossom."