Robotics & Autonomous Vehicles

AI Adoption in US Workplaces Surges, Gallup Poll Finds A recent Gallup Workforce survey reveals a significant increase in the adoption of artificial intelligence among American workers. The poll, which surveyed over 22,000 U.S. workers, found that 12% of employed adults now use AI daily in their jobs. Approximately one-quarter of respondents reported using AI frequently (at least a few times a week), while nearly half of the workers surveyed stated they use AI at least a few times a year. This marks a notable rise from 2023, when just 21% of workers reported using AI at least occasionally, highlighting the rapid integration of generative AI tools like ChatGPT into professional environments. ...

Keysight Launches ML Toolkit to Revolutionize Semiconductor PDK Development Keysight Technologies has introduced a new Machine Learning Toolkit aimed at dramatically accelerating the development of Process Design Kits (PDKs) for semiconductors. This toolkit, integrated into the Keysight Device Modeling Software Suite, promises to slash model development and parameter extraction time from weeks down to just hours. As semiconductor complexity grows and design schedules shrink, traditional manual modeling workflows have become a bottleneck. Keysight’s AI and machine learning-driven solution enhances productivity and model quality by reducing the number of parameter extraction steps from over 200 to fewer than 10, enabling global optimization of 80+ model parameters in a single operation. ...

Hanwha Aerospace Unveils Next-Gen Autonomous Fighting Vehicles for 2026-2031 Hanwha Aerospace has detailed its development plans for a new family of heavy autonomous fighting vehicles, with a projected timeline between 2026 and 2031. Announced at the IQPC International Armoured Vehicles conference, the vision focuses on unmanned platforms for manned-unmanned teaming (MUM-T) operations. This initiative builds on the company’s previous plans to develop an autonomous version of its K9 Thunder self-propelled howitzer. The strategic push towards autonomous military technology is partly a response to demographic challenges in South Korea, including a shrinking military due to a low birthrate. These advanced autonomous systems are designed to provide critical combat mass directly on the front lines. ...

AI-Driven Cyber Threats Create Unprecedented Risk, Survey Reveals CEO-CISO Divide A new survey from AXIS Capital Holdings Limited reveals that artificial intelligence is creating an unprecedented and complex cyber risk landscape. The research, which polled 500 CEOs and Chief Information Security Officers (CISOs) in the U.S. and U.K., uncovered a significant gap in how these leaders perceive AI’s risks and rewards. While AI offers transformative potential for business efficiency and innovation, it also arms cybercriminals with sophisticated tools, making threats faster and harder to detect. These emerging AI-driven threats include shadow AI, model manipulation, deepfakes, and advanced ransomware, highlighting the urgent need for businesses to evolve their cyber readiness strategies. ...

NVIDIA & Eli Lilly Launch $1B AI Drug Discovery Venture to Revolutionize Medicine In a landmark move for the biopharmaceutical industry, NVIDIA and Eli Lilly have announced a joint AI drug discovery lab, backed by a planned investment of up to $1 billion over five years. This collaboration aims to transform key aspects of drug development into a precise engineering discipline. By leveraging high-performance computing and specialized AI agents, the partnership will accelerate research and development. The initiative will operate on a ‘scientist in the loop’ model, where advanced AI supports and enhances the work of human researchers, marking a significant milestone for AI’s role in medicine. ...

Why Automotive Executives Are Pivoting to Humanoid Robotics A significant trend is emerging as top executives from the automotive industry transition into the field of embodied intelligence and humanoid robotics. This migration of talent brings invaluable experience in mass production, system integration, and resource mobilization to the burgeoning robotics sector. Startups led by former auto executives are attracting major investment. For instance, AI² Robotics, founded by a former XPENG chief scientist, has achieved unicorn status with a valuation exceeding $1 billion. Similarly, Zhijian Power, founded by former Li Auto executives, secured $50 million in an angel funding round. This convergence is fueled by the technological overlap between smart cars—often called “wheeled robots”—and humanoid robots. Major automakers are also investing heavily, with Tesla targeting mass production of its Optimus robot by late 2026 and XPENG planning to volume-produce its IRON robot in the same year. ...

Apple Partners with Google to Power Siri with Gemini AI In a landmark deal, Apple has announced a multi-year collaboration with Google to integrate the powerful Gemini AI models into its Siri voice assistant. This partnership is set to bring a new wave of services and more personalized experiences to Apple’s devices. The core AI foundation will be hosted on Google’s infrastructure, while Apple maintains strict control over user devices and privacy. This strategic move allows Apple to rapidly scale its AI capabilities. The deal provides Google’s Gemini access to Apple’s extensive ecosystem of over 2 billion devices, positioning it as the primary intelligence layer for Siri’s enhanced functionalities. This collaboration relegates OpenAI’s ChatGPT to a more secondary role, handling specific, complex queries on an opt-in basis. ...

Google’s Gemini Outpaces ChatGPT in Desktop User Growth Venture capital firm Andreessen Horowitz partners predict a highly competitive AI landscape for 2026, noting that Google’s Gemini is experiencing faster growth in desktop users compared to OpenAI’s ChatGPT. While ChatGPT still maintains a dominant position with a larger user base, Gemini has reportedly reached 35% of ChatGPT’s web scale and 40% on mobile devices. The deep integration with Google’s extensive ecosystem and its advanced video and image capabilities are considered key potential advantages for Gemini in the coming year. ...

Roborock Unveils Saros Rover, a Stair-Climbing Robotic Vacuum at CES 2026 Roborock, a global leader in home robotics, has introduced its latest product line at CES 2026, where it was recognized as the most awarded Robotic Vacuum Brand. The highlight of the announcement was the Saros Rover, presented as the world’s first robotic vacuum featuring an AI-powered wheel-leg architecture. This innovative design allows the vacuum to navigate stairs and slopes with human-like agility while simultaneously cleaning them. The keynote, led by Roborock’s President, Quan Gang, also unveiled other new products including the Roborock Saros 20, Roborock Saros 20 Sonic, Roborock F25 ACE Pro, and Roborock Qrevo Curv 2 Flow. These launches were made in partnership with the Real Madrid Football Club for the Vacuum Cleaner category. Additionally, Roborock announced its entry into the US market for lawnmower products with the new RockMow X1 LiDAR. Headquartered in Beijing, Roborock currently serves over 22 million households worldwide. ...

UAlbany and IBM Launch $20M Center for AI Systems Research The University at Albany and IBM have established a $20 million research partnership, the Center for Emerging Artificial Intelligence Systems, to accelerate scientific research across various academic disciplines. This collaboration provides university researchers with access to IBM’s cutting-edge AI hardware, including a cluster of IBM Spyre Accelerator chips. The center has already funded seven new research projects that leverage this technology to integrate AI into their respective fields. The partnership is uniquely positioned, with the university located near IBM’s Research AI Hardware Center where next-generation AI chips are developed. ...