In a shocking statement, a senior defense official revealed to Defense One that the Pentagon's interest in autonomous killer robots is accelerating. The official, speaking on condition of anonymity, stated that the Pentagon plans to reduce funding for artificial intelligence research in favor of actual AI weapon systems. He noted, 'We will no longer invest in 'artificial intelligence' because I don't know what that means. We will invest in autonomous killer robots.' The official added that the current government is more focused on weapon systems.

Recently, Figure founder and CEO Brett Adcock announced a new machine learning model called Helix, aimed at enhancing the capabilities of humanoid robots in household environments. This news comes just two weeks after Figure announced the end of its collaboration with OpenAI, demonstrating their strong commitment to the field of robotics technology. Helix is a 'general-purpose' visual-language-action (VLA) model capable of processing visual data.

In the field of robotics, the American startup Figure AI recently released a large edge model named Helix, marking a significant breakthrough in humanoid robot control technology. Helix is the first visual-language-action (VLA) model capable of high-frequency, continuous control over the entire upper body of a humanoid robot, including the head, torso, wrists, and fingers. This means that the robot can perform tasks directly based on natural language instructions without extensive training.

Amid growing attention in the industrial robotics sector, Augury has recently announced the successful funding of $75 million, with a valuation exceeding $1 billion. As a startup focused on developing AI hardware, Augury's technology can detect equipment failures and their causes in real-time, helping manufacturers reduce downtime and improve productivity. In an interview, Augury's CEO and founder, Saar Yoskovitz, revealed that the company's AI system has monitored over 500 million...

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.

Recently, well-known Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo revealed that Apple is actively exploring the development of humanoid and non-humanoid robots, considering them an important part of the future smart home ecosystem. This news closely follows a research paper released by Apple that discusses the interaction between humans and 'non-anthropomorphized' robots, such as Pixar-style lamps. Although Apple's research is still in the early concept validation stage, Kuo noted that this study provides crucial technical references for future consumer robots. He predicts that mass production of Apple robots may occur.

A recent study released by Apple reveals that the company is developing a new framework called ELEGNT, aimed at enabling non-anthropomorphic robots to exhibit more natural and expressive movements, which could open new avenues for the future development of home robots. The research team used a robot modeled after the lamp character in Pixar's animation "Luxo Jr.", equipped with a 6-axis robotic arm and a head featuring lighting and projection capabilities. Through the ELEGNT framework, researchers have enabled the robot to not only perform functional tasks but also convey intent and emotion through its movements.

Recently, Hugging Face partnered with Physical Intelligence to launch 'Pi0' (Pi-Zero), the first foundational model that directly converts natural language commands into physical actions. This innovative release has garnered widespread attention, with Hugging Face's Chief Research Scientist Remi Cadene announcing on social media, 'Pi0 is the most advanced visual-language action model that can translate natural language commands into autonomous behaviors.'

Recently, OpenAI submitted a new application to the trademark office indicating that the company may be entering the humanoid robotics field. According to the application filed on January 31, OpenAI plans to launch several new products, notably mentioning 'user-programmable humanoid robots' and robots capable of communication and learning, aimed at providing assistance and entertainment for people. Moreover, OpenAI is actively recruiting new members for its robotics team. According to the company’s official recruitment information, they currently have openings for mechanical product engineers, robotics specialists, and senior researchers.

Realbotix, a leading manufacturer of humanoid robots and companion AI, is further expanding its technological capabilities by launching large language model (LLM) integration and advanced customization features. These new functionalities are set to debut in February 2025, allowing users to seamlessly connect with a variety of mainstream AI platforms including OpenAI's ChatGPT, Meta's Llama, Google's Gemini, and the newly launched DeepSeek R1.

Against the backdrop of rising labor costs, the UK retail industry is rapidly moving towards an era of automation. From electronic shelf labels to self-checkout machines, many new technologies are gradually transforming the familiar supermarket shopping experience. With the national minimum wage increase and higher employer national insurance contributions, retailers are significantly increasing their investments in automation technology, hoping to address the rising labor costs by improving production efficiency. Recent holiday trading updates show that investment in automation has become a focal point for major retailers. A survey indicates that nearly one-third of retail financial leaders...

Amidst the wildfires ravaging California, Jim Fan, a scientist from Nvidia, the world's largest artificial intelligence chip manufacturer, proposed using AI robots to combat the flames. However, this suggestion has raised concerns about environmental impact. Fan shared a video on social media platform X (formerly Twitter), showcasing a humanoid robot walking down the streets of China. In his comments, he praised the robot's 'style' and made a call to action.

South Korean electronics giant LG Electronics recently announced at CES 2025 that it will increase its investment in the development of humanoid robots, aiming for breakthroughs in this field using its AI model technology Q9. In recent years, LG has launched a series of service robots, such as the LG CLOi ServeBot and GuideBot, which primarily rely on wheeled mobility and possess limited flexibility and dexterity. LG Electronics CEO Kwon Bong-seok stated at the press conference that robots are the future of humanity.

OpenAI recently announced the launch of its robot project to further explore the development of robotics technology. On January 11, Caitlin Kalinowski, the director of OpenAI's hardware department, revealed on social media that OpenAI would begin developing robots equipped with custom sensors and published related job openings on its official website. This recruitment covers three key positions: Electronic Perception Engineer, Robotics Mechanical Design Engineer, and Technical Project Manager. The primary responsibility of the Electronic Perception Engineer is to design and develop...

At the recent Consumer Electronics Show (CES), NVIDIA CEO Jensen Huang delivered an ambitious speech about the future of artificial intelligence and robotics. He stated that the robotics industry is facing a 'trillion-dollar' market opportunity, with rapid growth expected in the coming years. Huang emphasized the application of AI models in various types of robots, particularly humanoid robots and autonomous vehicles. He mentioned that NVIDIA's collaboration with Toyota will advance autonomous driving technology.

In the context of rapid development in the global AI industry, Nvidia made a significant launch of a series of new products and services at the Consumer Electronics Show (CES), aimed at helping businesses build AI assistants and robotic work teams. CEO Jensen Huang showcased the powerful capabilities of these AI agents, including the ability to automate task completion, during his keynote speech. He presented animated depictions of himself in various roles, indicating that AI agents can handle.

In a personal investment note released on January 3, 2025, Zhou Yahui, Founder of Kunlun Wanwei, discussed the impact of the Robot Era on social structure. He pointed out that Kunlun Wanwei's mission is to gradually achieve General Artificial Intelligence (AGI) after 2030, with the aim of enabling everyone to better shape and express themselves. Zhou Yahui stated that despite numerous predictions about the realization of AGI both domestically and internationally, he firmly believes that AGI will gradually be realized starting in 2030, at which point robots will officially enter human society. Image source note: image generated by AI.

Recently, X-ORIGIN-AI announced the successful completion of hundreds of millions of RMB in angel round financing, led by Alpha Community, with multiple industry investors participating in the follow-up investment, and Ren Chen Capital serving as the exclusive financial advisor. The funds raised will mainly be used for technology research and development, talent recruitment, and market expansion, aiming to further advance the development and implementation of its all-scenario consumer-grade AI robot products. Image source note: Image generated by AI, image authorized by service provider Midjourney. X-ORIGIN-AI focuses on developing companion robots.