Waymo

Leaked Trump Administration Draft Order Aims to Block State AI Laws A leaked draft executive order from a potential Trump administration reveals a plan to preempt states from enacting their own artificial intelligence laws. The proposed order suggests using the withholding of federal funds, including from the Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment (BEAD) program, as leverage against states that implement “onerous” AI regulations. The document also outlines the creation of a Department of Justice task force to legally challenge state-level AI legislation. This move is widely seen as an attempt to establish a single federal standard for AI, a position President Trump has previously supported on social media. The proposal has drawn sharp criticism from civil society groups, who argue it represents federal overreach and undermines state-level consumer protection efforts. ...

Waymo Doubles US Footprint with Fully Autonomous Robotaxi Service in 5 New Cities Waymo is significantly expanding its fully autonomous vehicle operations, doubling the number of cities where its self-driving cars operate without a human safety driver. The company has initiated fully autonomous operations for employees in Miami, with plans to roll out in Dallas, Houston, San Antonio, and Orlando in the coming weeks. A public launch for paid rides in these new locations is slated for 2026. This expansion builds on Waymo’s existing public robotaxi services in Phoenix, San Francisco, Los Angeles, Atlanta, and Austin. The move intensifies competition in the growing robotaxi market as rivals also invest heavily in autonomous driving technology. ...

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. ...

Breakthrough in Soft Robotics: Shapeshifting Robot Moves Using Electric Fields In a significant advancement for soft robotics, researchers from the University of Bristol and Queen Mary University of London have created a highly agile, shapeshifting soft robot. According to a study in Advanced Materials, the innovation lies in an electro-morphing gel (e-MG) that enables the robot to bend, stretch, and perform complex movements by manipulating electric fields. This new material allows the jelly-like humanoid gymnast to swing its body and limbs to move from one location to another. ...

Today’s Top Tech Stories: Waymo, NASA, Oracle, and Quantum Breakthroughs Here’s a summary of the most significant developments in AI, autonomous driving, cloud infrastructure, and quantum computing for October 15, 2025. Waymo Announces 2026 London Robotaxi Service Launch Waymo, the autonomous driving technology company under Alphabet, has officially announced its plan to launch a driverless robotaxi service in London. The full rollout is scheduled for 2026, making London the first European city to host Waymo’s autonomous ride-hailing service. Initial vehicle testing with safety drivers will commence in the upcoming weeks. The service, accessible via the Waymo app, will directly compete with established ride-hailing platforms. This expansion represents Waymo’s second international market after Tokyo. UK Transport Secretary Heidi Alexander voiced support, emphasizing the initiative’s potential to advance the UK’s autonomous vehicle sector and enhance transportation accessibility. ...

AI in Manufacturing Market Forecast to Skyrocket to $155 Billion by 2030 The global market for artificial intelligence in manufacturing is predicted to grow from USD 34.18 billion in 2025 to USD 155.04 billion by 2030, at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 35.3%. This significant growth is attributed to the increasing use of AI for improving production efficiency, predictive maintenance, and data-driven decision-making. Key technologies driving this expansion include machine learning and computer vision, with major adoption seen in the automotive and aerospace sectors. The report highlights Europe as a key region poised for substantial growth due to widespread industrial modernization and digital innovation initiatives. ...

AI Breakthrough: ‘Machine Unlearning’ Enables Models to Selectively Forget Data Researchers have made a significant breakthrough in “machine unlearning,” enabling AI models to be trained to selectively forget specific information upon command. This addresses major privacy and ethical concerns in AI by providing a method to remove particular training examples from a neural network without degrading its overall knowledge. The process involves identifying and isolating information pathways within the neural network that correspond to the targeted data and then using gradient-based algorithms to erase them. This capability is crucial for compliance with regulations like GDPR and for enhancing data privacy in AI systems. The technology has wide-ranging implications across various sectors, including healthcare, where it can protect patient confidentiality, and finance, for securing transaction data. ...

BRICS Urban Future Forum in Moscow Centers on AI and Robotics The third BRICS Urban Future Forum, held in Moscow on September 17-18, is focusing on the role of robotic technologies and artificial intelligence in urban transformation. The event brings together government officials, business leaders, and technology experts from over 35 countries to discuss strategies for the development of megacities through 2040. A key theme is the increasing importance of robotics, automation, and AI as primary drivers for changes in production and social systems within large urban environments. The forum serves as a platform for international collaboration on building the cities of the future. ...

Mount Sinai’s ‘AEquity’ AI Tool Aims to Eliminate Healthcare Algorithm Bias Researchers at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai have introduced AEquity, a novel AI tool designed to detect and mitigate biases in healthcare machine learning algorithms. As detailed in the Journal of Medical Internet Research, this tool confronts the critical challenge of algorithmic bias, which can compromise the accuracy of medical diagnoses and treatment strategies. AEquity was validated on diverse health datasets, including medical imagery and patient records, successfully identifying both known and previously undiscovered biases. The primary objective of AEquity is to ensure AI-driven healthcare solutions are both effective and equitable for all patient demographics, particularly those underrepresented in training data. The framework is built for adaptability, supporting a wide array of machine learning models. ...

Microsoft Challenges OpenAI with In-House MAI-1 and MAI-Voice-1 AI Models Microsoft has begun public testing for MAI-1, its first internally developed, large-scale AI model, marking a significant strategic move to reduce its reliance on partner OpenAI. The new foundational model is engineered for general-purpose tasks, including answering complex questions and following instructions. Alongside MAI-1, Microsoft also unveiled MAI-Voice-1, a sophisticated model capable of generating natural-sounding, human-like speech. The voice model can reportedly generate one minute of audio in under a second using minimal computing power. These releases signal escalating competition in the generative AI space, especially within multimodal and voice-based applications. ...