Category: AI

As manufacturers across the globe face widespread shortages of skilled labor, intelligent automation is emerging as a solution to alleviate the problem. One company leading the charge is Watch Out, which has developed highly automated workcells designed to make production more flexible, efficient, and less reliant on human labor.

According to a report from Deloitte and The Manufacturing Institute, nearly 2 million U.S. manufacturing jobs could go unfilled through 2033, highlighting the urgent need for advanced automation solutions. Watch Out, a Montreal-based company, offers machining cells that utilize patented sensors and machine learning for precision manufacturing across industries such as aerospace, automotive, medical, and more. With claims of providing “Level 5” autonomy, their systems can handle complex tasks such as materials handling, machining, and inspection, all without the need for human intervention.

In a modest classroom in Edo State, Nigeria, a quiet revolution unfolded. Over just six weeks, students achieved what typically would take two full academic years. This incredible feat wasn’t due to longer school hours or an elite cadre of teachers, but because of a powerful new tool: generative AI.

In this case, a large language model (LLM) acted as a virtual tutor in an after-school program, guiding students through lessons in English, digital literacy, and even foundational AI concepts. Supported by the World Bank, this pilot program demonstrated the immense potential of AI to reshape education. The results were impressive—students made substantial progress in just 30 school days—but the deeper implications of this experiment are what truly set it apart.

Humanoid robots are no longer just a figment of science fiction. Imagine a world where robots not only assist in factories but also greet us in stores, aid in surgeries, and provide care for our loved ones. With Tesla planning to deploy thousands of its Optimus robots by 2026, the age of humanoid robots is rapidly approaching.

This vision is becoming increasingly tangible as companies and research teams unveil groundbreaking innovations in the field of robotics. At the 2025 Consumer Electronics Show (CES), for instance, products like ADAM, the robot bartender from Richtech Robotics, and puppy dogs from Tombot Inc., designed to comfort elderly adults with dementia, showcased the progress made in both functionality and human-centric design. While these robots may still be in the early stages of deployment, they illustrate the vast potential for humanoid robots to enhance various aspects of human life.

Films and TV shows have long depicted a future full of autonomous robots capable of making their own decisions, taking initiative, and acting independently. From C-3PO and Jarvis to Bender and Rosie the Robot, these fictional characters not only responded to commands but also took action on their own, navigating the world with agency and autonomy. While we’re not yet living in a world full of sentient robots or advanced operating systems like Samantha from Her, technology is inching us closer to that future every day.

The development of Agentic AI is the next big leap in artificial intelligence. Unlike traditional AI systems, such as chatbots or large language models (LLMs) like ChatGPT, which rely on human input to function, Agentic AI operates independently. It can make decisions, adapt, learn, and execute tasks without constant human guidance. This new form of AI can be given a goal, and from there, it takes charge of figuring out the best way to achieve that objective.

ElizaOS, a pioneering AI initiative, is taking a major leap forward by transforming its virtual agent, “Eliza,” into a humanoid robot that promises to redefine human-AI interactions. Now available for pre-order, the Eliza robot is set to become an interactive, emotionally intelligent companion, offering a more profound connection than ever before between humans and machines.

The “Eliza Wakes Up” project, which initially gained recognition through its open-source, decentralized operating system, has evolved beyond its digital origins. The project’s new focus is to combine advanced AI with robotics to create a humanoid robot capable of real-time, dynamic interactions, complete with emotional intelligence and the ability to foster meaningful relationships.

At CES 2025 in Las Vegas, Vuzix Corporation, a leader in smart glasses and augmented reality (AR) technology, revealed its latest groundbreaking innovations in AI-powered wearable devices. The company debuted its Ultralite Proand Ultralite Audio OEM platforms, two next-generation smart glasses developed in collaboration with Quanta Computer. These new products promise to revolutionize both consumer and enterprise applications with cutting-edge AR features, voice recognition, and AI-enhanced functionality.

Vuzix, known for its expertise in waveguide technology—the heart of its smart glasses—continues to push the boundaries of augmented reality. The company’s proprietary waveguide systems direct visual content to the eyes through transparent glass, enabling a wide range of practical uses, such as captioning for the hearing impaired and real-time translation between languages. “We make smart glasses, and really, our specialty is in the waveguides that actually make the smart glasses work,” said a Vuzix representative at the event.

When Valeria Kogan began her PhD in bioinformatics in 2017, she envisioned a career focused on mathematics, medicine, or biology. However, after the AI boom of the late 2010s, she found herself drawn into an unexpected field: agriculture. Kogan’s transition into the agricultural tech sector came through an intriguing opportunity—a tomato grower seeking someone with AI expertise to monitor plant health using advanced technology. This intersection of AI and agriculture soon led Kogan to launch Fermata, a Tel Aviv-based startup, in 2020.

Fermata combines computer vision and artificial intelligence to monitor and diagnose plant health in greenhouse environments. Its technology uses standard, off-the-shelf cameras to take pictures of crops twice daily. The AI-powered system then analyzes these images, identifying signs of disease or pest infestations and alerting farmers via an app. For Kogan, her bioinformatics background and understanding of data-driven health diagnostics made the transition into plant health monitoring a natural fit.

The United Arab Emirates (UAE), an oil-rich Gulf monarchy, has made one of the world’s most ambitious investments in artificial intelligence (AI). While the vast sums allocated to chips, energy, and talent for AI applications may or may not yield long-term returns, the strategic pivot has already led to significant changes in the UAE’s economic landscape.

To foster the development of AI, the UAE needed to reform its immigration, business, and tax laws. The country aimed to attract the brightest minds from across the globe, creating an environment conducive to innovation. These changes reflect an economic blueprint for success in the 2025 global economy, one that could serve as a model for other nations.

Artificial intelligence (AI) is a rapidly evolving field, encompassing everything from pattern recognition systems to generative AI. However, there’s another emerging form of AI that is designed to respond almost instantly to real-world data—embodied AI. This technology is poised to transform industries ranging from robotics to autonomous vehicles, providing a new level of responsiveness and adaptability in real-world environments.

Embodied AI combines sensors with machine learning algorithms to interact with and respond to real-world data in real-time. Unlike other forms of AI, which often rely on static datasets or large language models, embodied AI uses data directly from its environment to inform decisions and actions.

Cristian Ponce met his co-founder Théo Schäfer at a Halloween party in 2023, where Ponce was dressed as Indiana Jones. The event, hosted by Entrepreneur First, a startup incubator, connects aspiring founders to launch innovative ideas. It was here that Ponce first encountered Schäfer, whose background at MIT and NASA’s Jet Propulsion Lab, where he explored Jupiter’s moons for alien life, fascinated Ponce. For his part, Ponce had studied bioengineering at Caltech, working with E. coli. Despite their distinct scientific backgrounds, the two bonded over shared frustrations with the tediousness of lab work.

As lab technicians, both had spent countless hours performing repetitive tasks, particularly in genetic engineering. One such task involves using a syringe-like tool called a “pipette” to transfer liquids between test tubes. While automation has attempted to ease this burden, the robots capable of doing so are expensive, specialized, and require extensive programming. If a scientist needs to adjust an experiment, they often face delays waiting for the bot to be reprogrammed. As a result, humans are still often more efficient at these tasks, despite the manual labor involved.

Tech executives and investors predict that artificial intelligence will dramatically reshape the retail shopping landscape by 2025, with AI assistants offering highly personalized experiences and handling up to 20% of eCommerce tasks, ranging from product recommendations to customer service. Industry leaders from Citi, Google Cloud, and global tech investment firms envision a future where shopping becomes more intuitive, efficient, and tailored to individual preferences. However, they stress the importance of careful AI implementation to ensure security and accessibility.

AI is expected to make shopping feel almost “Black Mirror”-like, with virtual assistants predicting consumer needs with startling accuracy. Lars Nyman, Chief Marketing Officer at CUDO Compute, suggests that AI-driven personalization could lead to eerily prescient interactions, such as a virtual assistant reminding a shopper about hiking boots before a trip. While AI’s ability to forecast demand may help retailers reduce inventory costs by up to 10%, it also raises concerns about data privacy as consumers will expect greater transparency regarding how their data is being used.

Backflip’s innovative platform leverages a newly developed AI model to streamline the process of converting ideas into 3D printable models. Users can generate high-resolution, printable designs with just a text command or a photo, making it easier and faster to bring concepts to life. According to Backflip’s CTO, David Benhaim, their technology offers a significant performance boost, providing up to 60 times more efficient training, 10 times faster processing speeds, and 100 times higher spatial resolution compared to traditional methods.

“Our breakthrough involves a new type of neural representation that enables AI to think in 3D,” explains Benhaim. “By starting with basic 3D models, we are laying the foundation for a new category of tools that can bring physical products to life more quickly and efficiently.”