John Honchariw, CEO and founder of Companion, joined Cheddar News to discuss the first innovative device solely designed to entertain, engage and have fun with your dog all day long. "What we aspire to as a company is to be a supplement to the relationship you have with your dog," he said.

The release of Open AI's ChatGPT has accelerated the development of artificial intelligence and warnings about its impact on society.

Rise of AI

A.I that helps take care of your dog

Let's also take a look at what is shaking out in the world of IPOs, startups and beyond. We're seeing all kinds of new applications for artificial intelligence. And my next guest has come up with yet another one. Taking care of your dog. Companion is an interactive device for dogs, keeping them engaged while you're not home with games, training and yes, treats. And after another round of funding, the company has now opened reservations to consumers. So joining me now is the founder and CEO of Companion, John Honcharoo. John, thank you so much for coming. This is awesome. Tell me more about it. Thanks for having me. We love it. Companion is the first device that's solely designed to entertain, engage and have fun with your dog all day long. We couldn't be more excited to release it for public reservation and are super excited about what we're seeing so far. Okay, so how does it work and what are some of the things it can do? Cool. It works by using treats, a camera and an AI chip to understand how your dog is interacting in front of it. Basically, what it does is have fun with your dog, engage in games to get to know it so that your dog wants to come from across the house and hang out with it. And there's three things we can help do for your dog, which is one, engage your dog so that no longer do you see your dog kind of lonely by the door as you leave. But instead, you can hear your dog having a blast to the sound of your own voice across the house. Two is practice all the basic obedience commands that help build and supplement the human animal bond. Or as like you and I might be proud of doing a couple hundred repetitions, Companion can do 10,000 over the first six months. And then three is really help look for patterns and subtle things that might shift with how your dog moves to give you better insight into how your dog feels and to keep a watch out for anything you might want to go check. So are there sort of like actionable insights, John, that the system recommends as to how to work with your dog when you do get home? Yes. At the end of the day, like what we aspire to as a company is to be a supplement to the relationship you have with your dog. Like we want to be a helping hand to help you better understand your dog's behavior and help you practice and put lots of repetitions on all the basic obedience commands that we know help with the human animal bond. So that involves not only that practice, it also involves letting you know exactly what your dog's experiencing along the way as your dog grows through the lessons and through the companion curriculum. What's the price point? I mean, this looks pretty fancy and nice. I know a lot of people take really good care of their pets and they definitely want them to be happy, John. So how much might they pay for this? We love our dogs. And Americans, I think in the US we spend something like $125 billion on our pets these days. We are parents of these animals. We love them deeply. And these are today, there are a variety of folks out there who spend like $1,000 a month on dog dayboarding, who might spend several hundred dollars a month on dog walking. And the average US consumer, I think, especially within this category, spends like $120 to $150 on food. We've tried to make it really easy with companion. Companion costs two dog walks a month. It's $50 a month. Wow. Now what about for the device itself, right? Because that's kind of its own thing. In addition, I'm sure, to the service charges. Yes. So what we're promising all of our early reservation holders is that we will make it so that you pay no more than $50 a month for both the hardware in addition to the software. We want to make it really easy to folks who might own like a tonal, a Peloton, but other similar smart hardware devices that you can own through rentals or financing. At the end of the day, what we're promising our reservation holders is that they will pay no more than $50 a month for the companion service. Very quickly, how do they get one of these? Cool. Sign up at www.joincompanion.com. We're well on the way to selling out the first two years of production here. We think over the next handful of months. So we're super excited. I think I just checked this morning. I think the next available ship date is July of 2024. So if this is interesting to you, if you want to check out some of the wonderful folks we've worked with, whether it's on the animal health side, on the animal training side, take a look at our website, www.joincompanion.com. Reserve yours today. Okay. John Honcharoo, founder and CEO of Companion. John, thank you.

Search and rescue operations continued overnight after flash floods slammed central Texas, killing dozens, officials said. More than 20 children are still missing from Camp Mystic, an all-girls camp hit by the floods, the Kerr County sheriff said.

Kerrville

Rescues continue in central Texas after deadly flash floods

Officials in the U.S. state of Texas say at least 13 people have died in overnight flash floods after torrential rains triggered an overflow of the Guadalupe River. Nearly 20 children attending a summer camp in the south-central area are missing.

Kerr County

Deadly Texas floods: Search efforts underway for missing children

Türkiye has been battling wildfires for more than a week, with its western province of Izmir among the hardest hit. Thousands have been forced to flee as flames threaten homes and villages.

Ödemiş

Turkiye wildfires: At least two dead as fires burn for eighth day

It was not clear if Hamas’ statement meant it had accepted the proposal from US President Donald Trump for a 60-day ceasefire.

Jerusalem

Hamas says it is  'positive' about latest ceasefire proposal

President Trump brought pomp and circumstance to his signing of the "big, beautiful bill" on Friday, with an Independence Day ceremony at the White House that included a B-2 bomber flyover.

Washington

Global Tariffs

Trump signs "big, beautiful bill" as tariff deadline looms

Heavy rainfall in central Texas caused the Guadalupe River to overflow and unleash a torrent of water. The bodies of at least 13 children and adults have been recovered and more than 20 girls are missing from a sleepaway camp.

Floods kill at least 13 in Texas, over 20 missing from summer camp

The talk comes a day after President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin discussed Ukraine, Iran and other issues in a call the Kremlin described as "frank and constructive."

Kyiv

Ukraine Invasion

Zelenskyy, Trump agree on joint defense efforts in phone call

Russia pummeled Kyiv with the largest drone attack of the war, injuring at least 23 people and damaging buildings across the capital only hours after U.S. President Donald Trump spoke with Russia's Vladimir Putin, officials said.

Russia hits Kyiv with largest drone attack after Trump-Putin call

U.S. President Donald Trump marked the passage of the new spending bill, which includes changes to food assistance, student loan programs, and clean energy credits. Robert Costa joins "CBS Mornings" to break down what's in the legislation.

Trump set to sign "big, beautiful bill"

More than 80 Palestinians were killed in Gaza on Thursday (July 3), according to health officials, as Israel intensified its strikes, hitting a school-turned-displacement facility. CNN’s Paula Hancocks looks at the damage and humanitarian toll.

More than 80 people killed in Gaza in one day

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said Kyiv will do "anything" to advance EU accession talks. Zelenskyy spoke alongside Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen, President of the European Council António Costa and President of the European Commission Ursula von der Leyen.

Ukraine will do 'anything' to advance EU accession talks: Zelenskyy

President Donald Trump said Washington will start sending letters to countries on Friday specifying what tariff rates they will face on imports to the United States, a clear shift from earlier pledges to strike scores of individual deals.

Trump: Letters telling countries their tariff rate going out Friday

Indonesian rescuers on Thursday (July 3) temporarily halted a search for 30 people still missing after a ferry carrying 65 people sank near the island of Bali with the loss of six lives, the national search and rescue agency said.

Gilimanuk

Indonesia suspends search for 30 missing after ferry sinks near Bali

After marathon debate sessions in the Senate and House, President Donald Trump’s budget bill passed in the House. Republicans secured the biggest win of Trump’s presidency.

Trump’s landmark ‘big, beautiful bill’ narrowly passes U.S. House

Florida says the first group of migrant detainees have arrived at the new immigration detention center known as "Alligator Alcatraz." CBS News correspondent Shanelle Kaul has more.

Ochopee

First group of detainees arrive at "Alligator Alcatraz," Florida says

U.S. President Donald Trump said Thursday (July 3) that he spoke with Russian President Vladimir Putin and that he plans to hold a call with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy. CBS News White House reporter Willie James Inman has more.

Trump speaks with Putin, plans call with Zelenskyy

CNN’s Priscilla Alvarez reports on a lawsuit from lawyers for Kilmar Abrego Garcia alleging he suffered “torture and mistreatment” after he was wrongfully deported and held in El Salvador’s notorious mega prison.

Tecoluca

Kilmar Abrego Garcia claims he was tortured in El Salvadoran prison

The Kremlin welcomed the development, with spokesman Dmitry Peskov claiming it proves Western arsenals are being depleted and predicting that less aid will hasten the end of the conflict.

U.S. pauses military aid to Ukraine over depleted weapons stockpile

Two contractors employed by UG Solutions spoke to the AP on condition of anonymity as they were revealing their employers’ internal operations.

U.S. contractors say live ammo used at Gaza aid distribution site

Democratic leader Hakeem Jeffries spoke for hours on the House floor about potential impacts of President Trump's "big, beautiful bill" that Republicans are looking to pass before July 4. Following debate, the House is set for a final vote on the massive budget bill.

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CBS News political contributor Caroline Polisi joins "CBS Mornings" to break down the jury's verdict in Sean "Diddy" Combs' federal trial and the judge's decision to deny bail for the music mogul ahead of his sentencing.

Manhattan

Sean "Diddy" Combs denied bail after split verdict

Liverpool soccer player Diogo Jota has died aged 28, just weeks after marrying his childhood sweetheart. The footballer passed away in a car crash in northern Spain.

Madrid

Liverpool soccer player dies in car crash 10 days after wedding

The Pentagon said that U.S. strikes 10 days ago had degraded Iran's nuclear program by up to two years, suggesting the U.S. military operation likely achieved its goals despite a far more cautious initial assessment that leaked to the public.

Tehran

Iran Strikes

Iran nuclear program degraded by up to two years: Pentagon

Days before his 90th birthday, the Dalai Lama announced the Gaden Phodrang Trust, a non-profit he founded, will have the sole authority to recognize his future reincarnation, but China insists it will choose the successor of the Tibetan spiritual leader.

Lhasa

China rejects Dalai Lama’s succession plan

The U.S. Congress inched towards approving President Donald Trump’s Big Beautiful Bill, despite attempts by Democrats to stop it. The bill is Trump’s signature legislation which includes massive spending increases on the military and immigration enforcement while slashing social programs.

Trump’s Big Beautiful Bill nears approval

Sean (Diddy) Combs was found guilty on prostitution-related charges, but was acquitted on more serious charges of racketeering and sex trafficking giving him a maximum sentence of 20 years. But the courtroom victory was subdued following a judge’s ruling to deny him bail.

New York

Diddy denied bail, avoids life in prison

President Trump says Israel has agreed to a 60-day ceasefire in Gaza, but it remains unclear if Hamas will accept the terms. CBS News senior foreign correspondent Debora Patta has more.

Trump says Israel has agreed to Gaza ceasefire conditions

Bryan Kohberger changed his plea to guilty Wednesday for the 2022 murders of four University of Idaho students. CBS News national correspondent Carter Evans has more on the case.

Boise

New details revealed as Kohberger pleads guilty for 2022 Idaho murders

The Wisconsin Supreme Court struck down a state abortion law that was adopted in 1849 in a 4-3 landmark decision. CBS News' Shanelle Kaul reports.

Madison

Wisconsin Supreme Court strikes down 176-year-old state abortion ban

Macron and Putin held regular discussions around the start of Russia's invasion of Ukraine, with Macron visiting Putin in Russia in February 2022, but dialogue eventually stalled.

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Rise of AI