Software Engineering

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. ...

Lenovo Unveils Adaptive AI PCs and Modular Concepts at MWC 2026 At MWC 2026, Lenovo unveiled a new generation of adaptive AI devices and forward-thinking concepts, signaling a shift towards personal computing systems that intelligently adapt to users and their environments. The announcements were headlined by a new modular PC architecture, a glasses-free 3D laptop concept, and the initial rollout of Lenovo Qira, a personal ambient intelligence system. The ThinkBook Modular AI PC Concept explores a design with interchangeable and detachable components to support flexible workflows and extend the device’s lifecycle. Lenovo’s strategy focuses on the democratization of AI by combining innovative hardware with a unified, system-level AI integration that works across its portfolio of PCs, smartphones, and tablets. The company also introduced updates to its ThinkPad T-Series, enhancing repairability and AI-readiness for enterprise customers. ...

AI News: Anthropic Alleges Data Theft & Samsung Unveils Gemini-Powered S26 The AI sector is buzzing with significant developments, led by a serious accusation from Anthropic. The company has identified and taken action against coordinated campaigns by three Chinese AI labs to improperly access and learn from its Claude AI. The labs allegedly involved are: DeepSeek Moonshot AI MiniMax These labs reportedly created over 24,000 fraudulent accounts to generate more than 16 million interactions with Claude. The efforts were aimed at ‘model distillation,’ a technique used to transfer the capabilities of a more advanced model to a new one. Anthropic noted the campaigns specifically targeted Claude’s key strengths in agentic reasoning, coding, and tool-use. ...

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. ...

Robotics & Autonomous Vehicles Autonomous Vehicles Set for Breakout Year in 2026 The autonomous vehicle industry is poised for a significant turning point in 2026, with analysts projecting the global fleet to grow tenfold by 2030. This rapid expansion is fueled by AI advancements that are successfully reducing deployment costs and timelines. Companies like Waymo are expanding services to new cities, and the global robotaxi market is expected to surpass 100,000 vehicles. The growth of autonomous electric vehicles (AEVs) will also demand major investments in charging infrastructure and data centers. European hubs like London are becoming key testing grounds for new autonomous vehicle pilots from international firms. ...

AI & Machine Learning: Quantum Breakthroughs, Marketing Shifts, and Physics-Informed AI This week in AI and Machine Learning, researchers at the Niels Bohr Institute have developed a method to track the real-time fluctuations of qubits, a significant step towards more stable quantum computers. In the business world, Coca-Cola is increasingly turning to AI to inform its marketing strategies, moving from a price-focused approach to one of persuasion. Meanwhile, a new AI algorithm from EPFL incorporates Newton’s third law to ensure physical simulations remain stable and accurate over extended periods. ...

UK Announces £1.6 Billion National AI Strategy to Boost Research and Innovation The UK’s primary public research funder, UK Research and Innovation (UKRI), has launched its first national strategy to integrate artificial intelligence into the nation’s science and research sectors. This landmark initiative is backed by a record £1.6 billion in funding for the AI sector, allocated between now and 2030. The strategy is designed to leverage AI for driving innovations across diverse fields, including healthcare, public services, and clean energy. The investment will concentrate on six key areas: advancing AI technology, developing skills and talent, and promoting responsible and trustworthy AI. UKRI-funded AI projects are already demonstrating significant impact, such as a system for detecting faults on the railway network and another that aids in analyzing brain scans for diseases like Alzheimer’s. ...

AI Hardware Crisis: Data Centers Buy Out Western Digital’s 2026 Hard Drive Supply The insatiable demand for AI hardware is causing a significant supply chain crisis. Reports confirm that AI data centers have pre-purchased Western Digital’s entire hard drive production capacity for 2026. This hardware crunch extends beyond storage, with Phison’s CEO warning of an imminent “AI memory crisis” that could bankrupt some consumer electronics companies. The massive storage and memory requirements for training and deploying large-scale AI models are diverting critical components from the enterprise and consumer markets, establishing AI development as the primary driver of the global hardware industry. ...

Waymo Deploys 6th-Generation Fully Autonomous Robotaxis on US Roads Waymo has launched fully autonomous operations with its sixth-generation Driver system, a significant milestone in expanding its self-driving ride-hailing service to more cities. This latest autonomous vehicle technology is now active on public roads without human safety drivers. Nashville is the latest city to feature the service, joining a growing list that includes Phoenix, San Francisco, Los Angeles, and Austin. The new technology is integrated into an all-electric robotaxi based on the Zeekr Mix, a Chinese-market EV. To support this expansion, Waymo is scaling its factory production toward a capacity of tens of thousands of units per year. The company’s ambitious goal is to deliver over one million paid, fully autonomous robotaxi rides per week by the end of the year. The 6th-generation system is engineered to lower operational costs while maintaining the highest safety standards, enabling deployment in more diverse environments, including areas with challenging weather conditions. ...