On the technological stage, two giants, Apple and Meta, are quietly embarking on a competition for AI-driven humanoid robots. Despite their rivalry in certain areas, the intertwining of cooperation and competition may usher in a new chapter in technology. As a pioneer in consumer electronics, Apple's innovation capabilities in smart hardware are unquestionable. Recently, reports have revealed that Apple is heavily investing in artificial intelligence and robotics technology, aiming to develop a humanoid robot capable of interacting naturally with humans.

Genspark has recently launched a new feature called "Deep Research," which provides AI-driven search and research services by integrating the capabilities of multiple models. Initial testing shows that while it may not match the depth of content found in OpenAI's related services, its quality and accuracy are satisfactory. Notably, this feature currently supports a free trial. In practical tests, Deep Research has been able to accurately compile important recent information, such as OpenAI's releases from the past week.

Recently, Demis Hassabis, one of the founders of Google, revealed in an interview that his company Isomorphic Labs plans to begin a clinical trial for a drug developed using artificial intelligence (AI) by the end of the year. This news has drawn significant attention, particularly regarding its potential applications in oncology, cardiovascular diseases, and neurodegenerative disorders. Image credit: Image generated by AI, image licensed from Midjourney Isomorphic.

BPR Hub is an AI-driven platform focused on compliance management, which recently completed a successful $2.6 million seed funding round led by Accel and Kae Capital. The funds will be used for the company's global expansion, team building, and the development of new features to meet the growing demand for efficient compliance solutions. BPR Hub was founded in 2024, and its founding team includes CEO Teja Edara and COO Mila.

Friend is a startup dedicated to developing AI-driven digital companion necklaces, priced at $99. Recently, Friend announced that the first batch of products, originally scheduled for shipment to pre-order users in the first quarter, will be delayed until the third quarter. The company's co-founder and CEO, Avi Schiffman, stated in an email to customers that the current design is not yet complete and requires some necessary improvements. Schiffman mentioned, 'While I very much hope to ship in the first quarter of this year, I'

Microsoft has announced that it will integrate AI-driven Office features into its Microsoft 365 Personal and Family subscriptions, along with a corresponding price increase. Previously, users wishing to access Copilot in Office applications like Word, Excel, and PowerPoint had to pay an additional monthly fee of $20 for the Copilot Pro subscription; now this AI feature will be included at a price of $3 per month.

Silicon Valley-based artificial intelligence startup Shield AI recently announced that its valuation has nearly doubled to $5 billion in a new funding round. The San Diego-based company focuses on developing AI-driven software for drones and autonomous aircraft, planning to raise approximately $200 million from several defense and aerospace companies, including well-known firms such as Palantir, Airbus, and L3 Harris. Venture capital firms Andreessen Horowitz, Point72, and Ri.

In the aftermath of the pandemic, the healthcare restart efforts are facing significant challenges, particularly in the context of an aging population in Western countries. Public healthcare systems are under immense pressure, with the UK's National Health Service (NHS) frequently in crisis and making headlines. In this environment, many private companies, especially tech-driven enterprises, have identified substantial gaps in the healthcare service market. Against this backdrop, the UK-based proprietary software platform and home healthcare provider Cera has announced it has raised $150 million through debt and equity financing to further expand its operations.

Verizon Communications Inc. (stock symbol: VZ) announced on Tuesday a collaboration with NVIDIA to develop a brand new solution that leverages Verizon's reliable 5G private network and private mobile edge computing (MEC) technology to run various artificial intelligence (AI) applications. This new AI-driven private 5G platform stack, co-developed by Verizon and NVIDIA, is designed for plug-and-play implementation to help third-party developers innovate.

Dutch and Swiss protein engineering AI startup Cradle recently announced the successful completion of a $73 million Series B funding round. This round was led by investment firm IVP, with participation from existing investors Index Ventures and Kindred Capital. So far, Cradle has raised over $100 million in total funding. Image source note: Image generated by AI and authorized by service provider Midjourney. Cradle is committed to

Recently, Google announced that its AI-based fuzz testing tool OSS-Fuzz successfully identified 26 vulnerabilities in open source code repositories, including a medium-severity vulnerability in the OpenSSL cryptographic library. Google's open source security team stated in a shared blog post: 'The discovery of these vulnerabilities marks a new milestone in automated vulnerability detection: each vulnerability was found through AI-generated and enhanced fuzz testing targets.' Image source note: Image generated by AI, image licensed from Midjour.

TikTok recently announced that its AI-driven video generation tool, Symphony Creative Studio, is now fully available to all TikTok business users. This tool will provide advertisers and content creators with an unprecedented creative experience. This intelligent tool, which integrates video generation, transformation, and expansion functions, aims to help advertisers and creators overcome the bottleneck between creativity and production, making the video creation process simpler and more efficient. Users can access the full suite of features at no additional cost.

Apple has released Final Cut Pro 11, introducing a series of new features, including AI-driven magnetic masking and Transcribe to Captions. The software will be available for download on Wednesday, with existing users receiving the update for free, while new users will need to pay $300 to download. New features in Final Cut Pro 11 include: Magnetic Masking, which allows for easy cropping of people and objects from videos without relying on green screens.

Recently, CareYaya Health Technologies launched an artificial intelligence (AI) driven large language model named MedaCareLLM, aimed at helping dementia and Alzheimer's patients improve their daily lives. This technology is integrated into smart glasses, providing real-time 'life-changing' assistance through video data and facial and object recognition technology. When patients wear these smart glasses, the AI can identify familiar faces. Once identified, the system will provide information about the person.

Opening in January 2025, Fred Fitness in Santa Monica will officially welcome guests. This gym, with its innovative AI-driven personalized workout concept, is expected to revolutionize the U.S. fitness market. Backed by the European fitness giant Clever Fit and utilizing cutting-edge EGYM technology, Fred Fitness is dedicated to providing members with tailored training plans and real-time guidance, allowing everyone to enjoy a fitness experience akin to having a personal trainer, but at a significantly lower cost.

Nvidia recently released a new container security application that allows developers to customize it to meet their needs for AI-driven cybersecurity. Deloitte has been announced as one of the first users. Nvidia's NIM Agent Blueprint includes everything enterprise developers need to build and deploy customized generative AI applications that can quickly analyze vulnerabilities in software containers. The application uses Nvidia's NIM microservices and Morp.