Generative AI

Einride Secures NHTSA Approval for Autonomous Truck Operations in Texas Einride has received approval from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) to operate its autonomous trucks on public roads in Austin, Texas. This marks the fifth state where the company has received such approval, following Arizona, Colorado, South Carolina, and Tennessee. The company demonstrated its cab-less, SAE Level 4 fully autonomous electric truck in Austin on March 19th. This approval is a significant step in Einride’s U.S. expansion and its plans for large-scale commercialization. The company is also in the process of a proposed business combination with Legato Merger Corp. III to become a publicly traded company in the first half of 2026. ...

This week in technology, major partnerships are reshaping autonomous transport, NVIDIA is pushing the boundaries of physical AI, and new platforms are emerging for custom enterprise AI. We also cover key developments in Kubernetes optimization, quantum computing milestones, and a significant acquisition in the open-source community. Here’s what you need to know. Uber and Rivian Partner for 50,000-Vehicle Autonomous Robotaxi Fleet In a landmark partnership set to reshape urban mobility, Uber and Rivian have announced a collaboration to launch a massive fleet of up to 50,000 fully autonomous R2 robotaxis. This initiative aims to accelerate the autonomous vehicle roadmaps for both companies, starting with an initial deployment of 10,000 vehicles. The first robotaxis are scheduled to launch in San Francisco and Miami in 2028, with an ambitious expansion plan targeting 25 cities by 2031. To support this, Uber will invest up to $1.25 billion in Rivian through 2031, contingent on achieving specific performance milestones. The Rivian R2 robotaxis will be available exclusively on the Uber platform. ...

AI & Machine Learning News: Advancements in Medical Diagnostics, Robotics, and AI Infrastructure This month’s AI and Machine Learning news features a novel deep learning tool from Mass General Brigham that analyzes selfies for predictive health analysis. In another healthcare AI breakthrough, a UCSF study demonstrates generative AI’s capability to interpret complex medical data with high accuracy. In agricultural robotics, a new AI-powered robot is learning to harvest tomatoes with greater efficiency. On the infrastructure front, startup Niv-AI has secured $12 million in funding to optimize AI data center efficiency, and Grand Valley State University received a $1 million grant to establish a new AI research consortium. ...

March 2026 Tech News: AI Agents, Kubernetes 1.36, and Quantum Leaps AI Industry Shifts Focus to Autonomous Agents and Advanced Hardware The artificial intelligence sector is undergoing a significant transition, moving from generative assistance models to autonomous agentic systems capable of executing complex, multi-step workflows. This evolution towards more sophisticated ‘digital coworkers’ is exemplified by the development of models like GPT-5.4. Concurrently, the industry is preparing for a major leap in hardware with Nvidia expected to unveil its new ‘Rubin’ platform, which promises a generational advancement in computing power for AI. These developments are occurring as the financial and physical sustainability of the current AI infrastructure boom faces increased scrutiny, sparking debates on the required capital investment and growing local opposition to new data centers due to environmental concerns. ...

Nuro Tests Self-Driving Cars in Tokyo, Marking First International Expansion U.S. self-driving startup Nuro has commenced testing its autonomous vehicles on public roads in Tokyo, representing the company’s first international deployment. The vehicles are currently operating with safety drivers present. This expansion is notable as Nuro claims its system did not require pre-training on local Japanese driving data, a capability it refers to as “zero-shot” autonomy. The company’s technology is designed to learn the fundamental principles of safe driving, allowing it to adapt to new environments like Tokyo’s dense and complex streets, which feature left-side driving and different traffic patterns from the U.S. Backed by investors including Nvidia and Toyota, Nuro has established a local office and deployed a small number of test cars to begin data collection. The company is also partnered with Uber and Lucid Group. ...

Agentic AI Takes Center Stage, Shifting Focus from Generative Models In March 2026, the artificial intelligence landscape is undergoing a pivotal shift from generative AI to more autonomous, agentic AI systems. These advanced AI agents are engineered to execute complex, multi-step workflows with minimal human oversight, fundamentally transforming business operations. This trend is highlighted by the release of new models like OpenAI’s GPT-5.4, which features native computer-use capabilities, allowing it to interact directly with software interfaces. The industry’s focus is evolving from experimentation to implementation, embedding AI as an invisible infrastructure within enterprise environments. Upcoming events like NVIDIA’s GTC 2026 are also expected to heavily feature agentic and physical AI. ...

IIT Kharagpur Launches New School for Applied AI to Boost Industry Innovation The Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Kharagpur has announced the launch of its new School of Digital Engineering, Applied Artificial Intelligence, and Machine Learning. This new school is designed to be a premier hub for research and innovation, with a strong focus on industry integration to promote the real-world application of AI technologies. According to the institution’s director, Suman Chakraborty, this initiative represents a significant shift in institutionalizing applied AI. The ultimate goal is to position IIT Kharagpur as a leading global center for developing responsible and sovereign AI for key sectors like healthcare and manufacturing. ...

Biotech’s ‘Builder’ Phase: AI Integration Drives R&D Transformation The biotech industry is shifting from standalone artificial intelligence tools to developing fully integrated, AI-native discovery systems. According to the 2026 Biotech AI Report from Benchling, this new “builder” phase sees organizations reshaping their data infrastructure and company structures to make AI a core component of their research and development models. A common trend is to embed AI leadership directly within R&D to ensure technology remains connected to the experimental context. However, the report highlights that poor data quality and availability are the top reasons for the failure of AI pilot projects. These infrastructure issues are creating a significant bottleneck for AI adoption in more complex areas like generative design and biomarker analysis. ...

Looper Robotics Launches Insight9: The First Autonomous Spatial AI Camera for Robots Looper Robotics is set to launch the Insight9, which it describes as the world’s first Autonomous Spatial AI Camera, developed by DeepMirror. The company aims to shift the industry’s focus from “stunt robotics” to the fundamental infrastructure of physical AI by providing a standardized solution for robotic perception. The Insight9 camera is part of an integrated system that includes the TinyNav neural navigation library and the RoboSpatial toolchain. In addition to the camera, Looper Robotics has introduced two new robot models, NOMAD and RANGER, which are built on the Unitree Robotics platform and come pre-integrated with Looper’s spatial intelligence solutions. These products are scheduled for mass production in the second quarter of 2026. ...

Telefónica and Nokia Pioneer New AI-Agent API Monetization Models Telefónica is exploring how agentic AI can shift revenue models for network APIs away from traditional per-call pricing. In a collaboration with Nokia, Telefónica has been testing AI software agents to support network API use as part of the GSMA Open Gateway initiative. A key application, showcased with Mavenir, is a ‘No-Show Prediction’ agent designed to forecast attendance and trigger interventions, reducing missed appointments in sectors like healthcare and retail. According to Telefónica’s Alex Harmand, other monetizable use cases include identity orchestration, context-aware risk scoring for payments, and network quality optimization for enterprise clients. ...