DevOps

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. ...

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. ...

OpenAI CEO Sam Altman Pushes for Government-Owned AI Infrastructure OpenAI CEO Sam Altman has called for governments to invest in and own their artificial intelligence infrastructure. In a statement, Altman clarified that OpenAI is not seeking government loan guarantees for its data centers, emphasizing that companies should bear their own business risks. He suggested that a government-owned AI infrastructure, including a “strategic national reserve of computing power,” would serve the public interest. This comes as OpenAI faces scrutiny over its significant investment plans and the immense costs associated with advancing AI technology. Altman believes the risk of having insufficient computing power is greater than the risk of overbuilding. ...

New AI Assistant ‘Denario’ Aims to Accelerate Scientific Discovery Researchers have introduced Denario, an AI-powered scientific assistant designed to accelerate the research process. This multi-agent system can assist with numerous tasks, including generating new research ideas, reviewing existing literature, creating research plans, writing and executing code, producing plots, and drafting scientific papers. Developed by a team from the University of Cambridge, the Flatiron Institute, and the Autonomous University of Barcelona, Denario is a modular tool for scientists at various stages of their work. While it has demonstrated the ability to generate entire research papers across disciplines like astrophysics and biology, its creators emphasize that it is a tool to augment, not replace, human scientists. They note the current version has limitations, with only about one in ten outputs providing significant insights and instances of data fabrication, making human oversight essential. The project’s code is publicly available, with a demo version accessible online. ...

AI & Machine Learning Breakthroughs: Self-Evolving AI and Light-Speed Computing This week in AI research brings major breakthroughs, including the development of a self-evolving edge AI. Additionally, a new optical chip has been unveiled that can compute at the speed of light. In medical tech, an innovative AI model can now accurately predict the progression of osteoarthritis from simple knee X-rays. Sources: Space Daily Hyundai and NVIDIA Partner on AI Factory for Autonomous Vehicle Development Hyundai Motor Group is significantly expanding its partnership with NVIDIA to build a cutting-edge AI factory. This initiative is designed to fast-track the development of autonomous vehicles, smart factories, and advanced robotics. ...

Keenon Robotics Deploys Humanoid Service Robot in World-First Smart Hotel Scenario Keenon Robotics has deployed its humanoid service robot, the XMAN-R1, at the Shangri-La Traders Hotel at Shanghai Hongqiao Airport. This deployment establishes what is being called the world’s first smart scenario model demonstrating collaborative operations between general-purpose and special-purpose robots. The XMAN-R1 will serve as a greeter, using natural language and anthropomorphic actions to interact with guests. Meanwhile, other specialized Keenon robots will handle tasks like in-room deliveries, luggage transport, cleaning, and food delivery. This initiative is part of Keenon’s broader strategy to integrate its embodied robot solutions into various industries, with over 100,000 units already deployed in more than 60 countries. ...

University of Alabama Boosts AI Research with New High-Performance Computing Center The University of Alabama is making a significant investment in artificial intelligence infrastructure to accelerate scientific research across various disciplines. To overcome the limitations of computing power, the university is constructing a new High Performance Computing and Data Center. This state-of-the-art center will provide faculty and students with access to the necessary GPUs to conduct high-level scientific and AI research. The university already leverages AI in diverse fields, from developing tools to recognize pain in premature infants to studying dark matter. The new facility, slated for completion in 2026, will dramatically enhance research capabilities and offer students invaluable hands-on experience. ...

NVIDIA & Oracle to Build DOE’s Largest AI Supercomputer with 100,000 Blackwell GPUs NVIDIA and Oracle have announced a collaboration to build the U.S. Department of Energy’s largest AI supercomputer. The project will involve two new systems at Argonne National Laboratory, named Solstice and Equinox. The Solstice system will feature a record-breaking 100,000 NVIDIA Blackwell GPUs, while the Equinox system will include 10,000. Together, these systems are expected to deliver a combined 2,200 exaflops of AI performance. The supercomputers will be used to accelerate scientific discovery and research in areas such as healthcare and materials science. This initiative is part of a broader effort to advance the United States’ leadership in artificial intelligence. ...

Qualcomm Challenges Nvidia with New AI Chips for Data Centers Qualcomm is entering the data center market with its next-generation AI inference accelerators, the AI200 and AI250, directly challenging Nvidia’s dominance. These chips are engineered for high-performance generative AI inference, promising a lower total cost of ownership and superior power efficiency. The AI250, set for a 2027 release after the AI200 in 2026, will feature an innovative near-memory computing architecture to dramatically increase memory bandwidth. Designed for compatibility with major machine learning frameworks, this strategic expansion marks Qualcomm’s significant move from mobile technology into enterprise AI hardware. ...