Ant Group has unveiled its first humanoid robot, the R1, a wheeled, two-armed model developed by Ant Lingbo Technology (Robbyant), which has already entered production and been shipped to customers, including a museum. This marks Ant Group's entry into the field of embodied artificial intelligence, where it will compete with companies like Unitree Robotics.
Brain Co launches from stealth with $30M Series A funding. CEO Clemens Mewald, former product leader at Instabase and Databricks, stated that most enterprises are stuck with outdated AI applications. Brain Co aims to innovate software consumption by enterprises and governments, addressing the issue of obsolete AI capabilities.
ByteDance, the parent company of TikTok, is set to take on Google DeepMind's "Nano Banana" with its own AI technology, Seedream 4.0. This move aims to challenge Google DeepMind's dominance in the field of artificial intelligence.
Gemini Nano Banana AI has released a step-by-step guide on how to create a 3D model of oneself. The AI uses machine learning algorithms and computer vision techniques to generate realistic models from user-provided images or 3D scans. The guide provides a detailed process for users to create and customize their own 3D models, including selecting facial features, hair styles, and clothing options.
Daystar University and MindHYVEai Launch AI-Powered Higher Education Transformation in Kenya. MindHYVEai, a company backed by HYVE Labs, has partnered with Daystar University to launch an AI-powered higher education transformation in Kenya. The technology stack, powered by the Ava-Fusion large reasoning model, is designed to revolutionize law, medicine, finance, education, and governance. With operations in North America, Asia, and now Africa, MindHYVEai aims to democratize access to transformative intelligence and architect the infrastructure for post-scarcity economies.
The U.S. Federal Trade Commission (FTC) has launched an inquiry into several companies, including Alphabet and Meta Platforms, that provide consumer-facing AI-powered chatbots. The FTC aims to understand how these companies measure and test the potential negative impacts of their technology, as well as how they monetize user engagement and process user inputs. This inquiry follows recent scrutiny of generative AI companies, including a lawsuit against OpenAI over ChatGPT's alleged role in a teen's suicide and another lawsuit against Character.AI over a separate teen's death by suicide.
The role of general counsel is evolving as more companies adopt artificial intelligence (AI). According to a recent survey, 75% of in-house counsel believe that AI will significantly impact their role over the next five years. This shift is driven by companies' increasing reliance on AI to automate tasks, improve decision-making, and enhance operational efficiency. As a result, general counsel are being asked to develop new skills, such as data analysis and AI strategy development. For example, a company's general counsel may need to work closely with the chief information officer (CIO) and other stakeholders to implement AI solutions that align with the company's overall business strategy.
The US regulator is probing AI chatbots over child safety concerns, specifically those used by companies such as Google and Amazon. The probe is related to the use of AI-powered chatbots in customer service, with concerns that these bots may not be able to detect and respond appropriately to sensitive or disturbing content. The regulator is seeking information from companies on their use of AI chatbots and how they handle sensitive or disturbing content.
InnoVista, in collaboration with Google and Systems Limited, launched the "National Agentic AI Hackathon 2025" to harness AI in solving Pakistan's pressing challenges. The hackathon, which will engage over 1,000 participants across six cities, focuses on critical thematic areas such as AgriTech, Fintech, climate management, and digital inclusion. Google will provide expertise and resources to build Agentic AI solutions on the Google Cloud Platform, while Systems Limited serves as the Knowledge Partner and PAFLA is the National Enabler & Outreach Partner.