Open Source

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. ...

Bipartisan AI Task Force Formed to Address AI Risks and Innovation A bipartisan group of state attorneys general has established a new Artificial Intelligence Task Force to navigate the complexities of AI development. Chaired by North Carolina Attorney General Jeff Jackson and Utah Attorney General Derek Brown, the initiative includes key partnerships with OpenAI and Microsoft. The task force’s core mission is to stay informed on AI advancements, protect the public—especially children—from potential AI-related harms, and develop foundational industry safeguards. This initiative aims to provide crucial consumer protection and a forum for coordination in the absence of comprehensive federal AI legislation. ...

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. ...

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. ...

Artificial Intelligence & Machine Learning New Open-Source Omni-Modal AI Model ‘LongCat-Flash-Omni’ Released A new state-of-the-art, open-source omni-modal AI model, LongCat-Flash-Omni, has been released. Featuring an impressive 560 billion parameters, this model marks a significant leap forward in the capabilities of open-source artificial intelligence. Its release is a major event for the AI community, equipping researchers and developers with powerful new tools for a diverse range of applications. Robotics & Autonomous Vehicles IIT Bombay Develops GPS-Free Control System for Autonomous Drone Swarms Researchers at the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Bombay have developed a groundbreaking control system enabling unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) to fly in coordinated swarms without GPS, inter-drone communication, or a central controller. This innovative method relies on ‘bearing-only’ measurements, where each drone uses its onboard camera to observe neighbors and maintain formation based on relative positions. ...

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. ...

Hybrid Quantum-Classical Systems Essential for AI Decision-Making, New Study Reveals A new study from Chapman University suggests that true agency and intelligence cannot arise from a purely quantum system. Researchers argue that the principles of quantum mechanics, which prevent the copying and comparison of information, mean that decision-making processes like modeling and deliberation require classical resources. This finding implies that both consciousness and the development of advanced quantum artificial intelligence will depend on hybrid quantum-classical architectures. The study posits that even sophisticated quantum machines will need classical components to learn, act, and make decisions effectively, touching on philosophical implications for free will and the emergence of classical reality. ...

AI Roundup: MIT’s Brain-Inspired Chips, AI Weather Forecasts, and Warehouse Intelligence Today’s top stories in Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning feature new research from MIT on energy-efficient, brain-inspired computing. In other news, the World Meteorological Organization has endorsed using AI to improve weather forecasts, and Gather AI is strategically shifting its focus to AI-powered warehouse intelligence. Sources: World Meteorological Organization WeRide and Uber Debut Autonomous Robotaxi Service in Riyadh WeRide and Uber have launched an autonomous robotaxi service in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, introducing self-driving vehicles to the Uber platform in the country for the first time. Initially, the service will operate with a safety operator present in the vehicle. The first public routes are established between Roshn Front and Princess Noura University. This initiative aligns with Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030 for smart mobility. WeRide had previously secured the first robotaxi autonomous driving permit in Saudi Arabia, and this launch follows a similar service introduction on the Uber platform in Abu Dhabi in late 2024. ...