Cloud Infrastructure

Agibot’s A2 Humanoid Robot Sets World Record with 106-km Walk A Chinese-developed humanoid robot, the A2 from Shanghai-based Agibot, has set a new Guinness World Record for the longest continuous walk by a humanoid robot. The robot completed a 106.286-kilometer journey from Suzhou to Shanghai without shutting down. The trek, which ran from November 10th to November 13th, showcased the maturity of the robot’s hardware, advanced balance algorithms, and exceptional endurance. The A2 was powered by a rapid hot-swap battery system, enabling it to remain active for the entire duration. This record-breaking walk marks a significant milestone for the large-scale commercial deployment of humanoid robots in various industries. ...

AI & Machine Learning Breakthroughs: Tracing Ancient Life and Powering Research This collection of articles highlights recent advancements in Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning. A groundbreaking new machine learning method has successfully identified the oldest chemical traces of life on Earth. In other news, a German research team has gained access to a powerful supercomputer to advance generative AI research, while new insights reveal how machine learning is fundamentally transforming global currency exchange. ...

Leaked Trump Administration Draft Order Aims to Block State AI Laws A leaked draft executive order from a potential Trump administration reveals a plan to preempt states from enacting their own artificial intelligence laws. The proposed order suggests using the withholding of federal funds, including from the Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment (BEAD) program, as leverage against states that implement “onerous” AI regulations. The document also outlines the creation of a Department of Justice task force to legally challenge state-level AI legislation. This move is widely seen as an attempt to establish a single federal standard for AI, a position President Trump has previously supported on social media. The proposal has drawn sharp criticism from civil society groups, who argue it represents federal overreach and undermines state-level consumer protection efforts. ...

Waymo Doubles US Footprint with Fully Autonomous Robotaxi Service in 5 New Cities Waymo is significantly expanding its fully autonomous vehicle operations, doubling the number of cities where its self-driving cars operate without a human safety driver. The company has initiated fully autonomous operations for employees in Miami, with plans to roll out in Dallas, Houston, San Antonio, and Orlando in the coming weeks. A public launch for paid rides in these new locations is slated for 2026. This expansion builds on Waymo’s existing public robotaxi services in Phoenix, San Francisco, Los Angeles, Atlanta, and Austin. The move intensifies competition in the growing robotaxi market as rivals also invest heavily in autonomous driving technology. ...

Jeff Bezos Launches ‘Project Prometheus’ AI Startup for Manufacturing Four years after stepping down as Amazon’s CEO, Jeff Bezos is reportedly co-CEO of a new AI startup, Project Prometheus. The company will focus on developing artificial intelligence for engineering and manufacturing sectors and has allegedly secured a massive $6.2 billion in funding. Bezos will share the CEO role with tech executive Vik Bajaj. This new venture enters a highly competitive AI market, where substantial venture capital investments are being made in companies like OpenAI, raising questions about the long-term financial sustainability of the industry. ...

Galbot Unveils DexNDM & NavFoM: Major Breakthroughs in Embodied AI for Robotics Robotics firm Galbot has announced two significant technological advancements in embodied intelligence: DexNDM and NavFoM. DexNDM is a neural dynamics model designed to enhance robotic dexterous manipulation, enabling robots to perform high-precision, in-hand rotations of various objects. NavFoM is presented as the world’s first cross-embodiment, cross-task navigation foundation model, allowing robots to autonomously perform complex tasks in diverse environments. These innovations, developed with Tsinghua and Peking University, integrate DexNDM into a teleoperation system for intricate tasks like tightening screws with high-level human commands. These advancements are poised to revolutionize industries like manufacturing, logistics, and healthcare by improving the adaptability and efficiency of robots in real-world settings. ...

China’s Photonic Quantum Chip Aims for 1,000x Speedup in AI Tasks Researchers in China have unveiled a new photonic quantum chip that promises to accelerate complex calculations by over a thousand times, marking a significant leap for next-generation computing. Developed by Chip Hub for Integrated Photonics Xplore (CHIPX) and Turing Quantum, the chip is claimed to process specific AI tasks 1,000 times faster than high-end Nvidia GPUs. Its design utilizes co-packaging technology for photons and electronics, integrating over 1,000 optical components on a single 6-inch silicon wafer. This allows for dense optical integration and is supported by a pilot production line capable of producing 12,000 wafers annually. ...

Bipartisan AI Task Force Formed to Address AI Risks and Innovation A bipartisan group of state attorneys general has established a new Artificial Intelligence Task Force to navigate the complexities of AI development. Chaired by North Carolina Attorney General Jeff Jackson and Utah Attorney General Derek Brown, the initiative includes key partnerships with OpenAI and Microsoft. The task force’s core mission is to stay informed on AI advancements, protect the public—especially children—from potential AI-related harms, and develop foundational industry safeguards. This initiative aims to provide crucial consumer protection and a forum for coordination in the absence of comprehensive federal AI legislation. ...

NTT Sets New AV Safety Standard with Launch of Mobility Subsidiary Japanese telecommunications giant NTT has established a new subsidiary, NTT Mobility, to consolidate its expertise in the self-driving vehicle sector. The new company, launching in mid-December, will offer a comprehensive service for deploying and operating autonomous driving services across Japan. This initiative aims to overcome challenges like ensuring safe autonomous vehicle provision and developing infrastructure suited for Japan’s roads, with a service launch goal of April 2027. Concurrently, an NTT-developed technology for assessing video quality from autonomous vehicle remote-monitoring systems has been adopted as a new international standard. The model, named Parametric object-recognition-ratio-estimation, verifies in real-time if video streams are clear enough for safe object detection, alerting operators when quality drops below critical safety thresholds. ...

China’s DePTH-GPT: A New AI Model to Revolutionize Deep-Sea Research A team of Chinese scientists has launched a new artificial intelligence model named DePTH-GPT to advance deep-sea exploration. The model utilizes a combination of AI technologies, including deep learning, large language models, and computer vision, to analyze a wide range of data from the deep ocean such as video, topography, and bioacoustics. This new tool is expected to shift deep-sea research from traditional qualitative analysis to a more intelligent and predictive approach. DePTH-GPT has already been used to create an intelligent cognitive system for a seamount and a hydrothermal vent field. Developed as part of the UN Decade of Ocean Science for Sustainable Development, the model will be made available to global research institutions to create cognitive systems for various deep-sea habitats. ...