Beijing Hosts Inaugural World Humanoid Robot Games
The first-ever World Humanoid Robot Games have commenced in Beijing, drawing 280 teams from 16 countries. This three-day event showcases the latest advancements in humanoid robot technology through a series of demanding competitions. Robots are competing in 26 different events, including athletic challenges like running and football, alongside skill-based tasks such as cleaning and sorting pharmaceuticals. The games are designed to test the robots’ intelligent decision-making and collaborative movement capabilities in extreme scenarios. This event, following the 2025 World Robot Conference, aims to accelerate the real-world application of humanoid robots in sectors like manufacturing, healthcare, and domestic services.
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Torc Robotics Opens Michigan Tech Hub for Autonomous Trucking
Torc Robotics, an independent subsidiary of Daimler Truck AG, has announced the opening of a new technology hub in Ann Arbor, Michigan. The company is investing $5.6 million in the facility, which is also supported by a $3 million grant from the Michigan Strategic Fund. The new hub will focus on advancing Torc’s autonomous driving software specifically for long-haul trucking. This strategic location was chosen for its proximity to the Detroit automotive industry and its rich pool of engineering talent.
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WeRide and Grab Partner to Launch Robotaxis in Southeast Asia
Autonomous driving technology company WeRide has secured a strategic equity investment from Grab, a leading superapp in Southeast Asia. This partnership aims to accelerate the deployment and commercialization of Level 4 robotaxis and autonomous shuttles across the region. WeRide’s advanced autonomous driving technology will be integrated into Grab’s extensive fleet management and routing ecosystem. The collaboration will also focus on training and upskilling Grab’s driver-partners for new roles within the growing autonomous vehicle industry.
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MIT Researchers Use Generative AI to Discover Novel Antibiotics
Researchers at MIT have successfully utilized generative AI to design novel antibiotics capable of combating drug-resistant infections, including Neisseria gonorrhoeae and MRSA. The team employed generative AI algorithms to create and computationally screen over 36 million potential chemical compounds for their antimicrobial properties. This innovative approach led to the discovery of top candidates that are structurally different from any known antibiotics and appear to function via new mechanisms that disrupt bacterial cell membranes. The AI models were trained on chemical screening data from 40,000 different compounds to learn the characteristics of effective antibiotics. Two of the most promising newly designed antibiotics are now advancing towards clinical trials, showcasing the immense potential of AI in drug design and development to address the global challenge of antibiotic resistance.
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Survey: Half of Journalists Now Use Generative AI Tools
A recent survey of 286 journalists in Belgium and the Netherlands reveals that just over half are now using generative artificial intelligence tools in their work. The study, conducted by researchers at the universities of Ghent and Amsterdam, found that 32 percent of AI users do so weekly, while 14 percent use it daily. The most common applications for these tools are automated translation, interview transcription, and proofreading. Despite the increasing adoption for tasks that save time and boost efficiency, a large majority of the journalists surveyed expressed pessimism about the technology. Specifically, 85 percent believe AI will exacerbate the spread of fake news, and 83 percent think it will erode public trust in journalism.
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Oracle and Google Cloud Partner to Integrate Gemini AI into OCI
Oracle and Google Cloud have expanded their partnership to integrate Google’s Gemini AI models into Oracle Cloud Infrastructure (OCI). This collaboration will allow OCI customers to access Gemini 2.5 and the full range of Gemini models for applications such as multimodal understanding, code generation, and workflow automation. Customers can use their existing Oracle Universal Credits to leverage these advanced AI capabilities. The partnership aims to provide enterprises with a wider selection of AI models and facilitate the development of powerful AI agents within their existing Oracle environments. This move is a strategic effort by both companies to enhance their enterprise AI offerings and accelerate AI adoption in the cloud.
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Watt for Node.js Simplifies Development with BFF Architecture
A new Node.js application platform named Watt has been introduced, offering a ‘Backend for Frontend’ (BFF) approach to simplify full-stack development. The platform streamlines operations by providing a dedicated backend for each frontend, which optimizes performance and reduces complexity. This architectural pattern allows frontend developers to focus on user experience while backend developers manage business logic and data processing. The BFF model, as implemented by platforms like Watt, helps create tailored APIs for specific client needs, improving data transfer efficiency. By creating separate backends for different clients, this approach also enhances modularity, scalability, and security.
OpenAI Releases gpt-oss-20b: Its First Open-Source Model for On-Device AI
OpenAI has released its first open-source reasoning model, gpt-oss-20b, designed to run directly on devices with flagship Snapdragon processors. This marks the first time the company has made one of its sophisticated models available for on-device inference, a move that enhances privacy and reduces latency. The chain-of-thought reasoning model is intended to enable complex reasoning tasks to be performed entirely on-device without a cloud connection. Developers can access gpt-oss-20b through platforms like Hugging Face and Ollama, with further deployment details available on the Qualcomm AI Hub. This release is a significant step towards more private, low-latency, and personalized AI experiences as mobile memory and software efficiency continue to improve.
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