Research & Development news

• Best AI Tools to Learn Automation as a Beginner

  08-01-2026 15:39 via eweek.com
  Here’s something that might surprise you: you’re probably already using automation. You might have email filters quietly sorting messages for you or calendar reminders popping up right when you need them. These small conveniences are examples of automation at work, even if you’ve never thought of them that way. However, the idea of learning automation can still feel intimidating, especially for beginners who assume it requires coding or technical expertise. Thankfully, AI-
  
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• The ‘App’ Era Is Dying — Welcome to the ‘Agent’ Era

  22-01-2026 22:17 via eweek.com
  Allow us to reframe the current moment: for the last 15 years, we’d argue we have lived in the “Read/Write” era of technology. You tap a glass screen, you open an app, you press buttons, and you get a result.But reports from both China and Silicon Valley yesterday confirm that 2026 is the year we switch to what we’re calling the “Instruct/Verify” era: where the primary interaction paradigm is you tell an AI what you want, and it goes and does it for you.This s
  
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• Elon Musk: Tesla’s Optimus Robot Will Go on Sale in 2027

  22-01-2026 20:09 via eweek.com
  Tesla CEO Elon Musk is tightening the timeline for when you can actually own one of the company’s humanoid robots. Speaking at a panel during the World Economic Forum (WEF) in Davos on Thursday, Musk announced that public sales for the Optimus robot are slated to begin by the end of 2027.The billionaire noted that the robots are already getting their hands dirty, performing “simple tasks in the factory,” according to a report by Electric Vehicles (EV). Musk expects these m
  
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• YouTube CEO Says Cutting ‘AI Slop’ Is a 2026 Priority

  22-01-2026 18:47 via eweek.com
  YouTube is taking a sledgehammer to the low-grade AI garbage cluttering up your feed.In his annual look-ahead letter, YouTube CEO Neal Mohan laid out a year of big bets, including AI tools alongside a crackdown on what the internet has nicknamed “AI slop.” This comes after announcing that more than a million channels used its AI creation tools every day last December.The irony of the war on “slop” is that YouTube is actually giving creators more AI tools, not fewer. Later
  
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• Liza Minnelli, Art Garfunkel Join Artists Co-Creating Songs With ElevenLabs AI Tech

  22-01-2026 16:46 via eweek.com
  What good is sitting alone in your room? Come hear the music play. Life is a Cabaret, old chum, come to the Cabaret.
  And it’s an ‘AI Cabaret’. Liza Minnelli and Art Garfunkel are two of the stars joining ElevenLabs as it pushes further into the music business.
  “The Eleven Album” is a compilation created through a partnership between human musicians and its AI-based model capable of generating “studio-quality compositions.” The album is available to strea
  
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• Adobe Adds AI Tools to Turn PDFs Into Podcasts, Presentations

  22-01-2026 16:22 via eweek.com
  Adobe is adding more generative AI features to its Acrobat Studio PDF reader and editor to give users more ways to summarize content. Acrobat Studio users will be able to generate audio and visual summaries of PDFs as presentations and podcasts, which can be distributed to other team members or the public. A chat-based editing tool will be available to make adjustments to the summaries.In the Generate Podcast feature, users can feed the AI audio model a variety of PDFs and have it generate
  
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• ‘ChatGPT for Doctors’ Startup OpenEvidence Secures $12B Valuation

  22-01-2026 15:47 via eweek.com
  OpenEvidence, the Miami-based AI platform that has quickly become the digital right hand for nearly half of American physicians, announced on Wednesday that it has closed a massive $250 million Series D funding round. This latest injection of cash, co-led by Thrive Capital and DST Global, has doubled the company’s valuation from $6 billion to $12 billion in just three months.The startup’s rise has been nothing short of meteoric. Since its first outside capital raise less than a
  
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• Elon Musk’s xAI Is Testing ‘Employees’ That Aren’t Human

  22-01-2026 15:23 via eweek.com
  At Elon Musk’s AI startup xAI, some “employees” don’t breathe, sleep, or even exist in the real world.Instead, they run on code.The company is quietly testing what it calls “human emulators” — AI systems designed to mimic the behavior of real white-collar workers. According to a former xAI engineer, these AI workers are already operating inside the company, appearing on internal org charts and interacting with staff, sometimes without people realizing th
  
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• Anthropic Offers Moral AI Solution With ‘Claude’s Constitution’

  22-01-2026 15:16 via eweek.com
  Anthropic seems to have consciously turned on ‘paladin’ mode with noble, honest plans for Claude.
  Before we all get as sarcastic and facetious as a weary detective in a gritty, TV police drama, let’s hear what they have to say.
  Anthropic’s has unveiled it latest constitutional framework for Claude. It’s the first major AI document to seriously question whether machines might actually be conscious. The document also explains how Claude should balance honesty, compass
  
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• AI and Robotics Are Reshaping Pharmacy Workflows

  22-01-2026 15:00 via eweek.com
  Pharmacies around the world are under strain from rising prescription volumes, staffing shortages, and expanding clinical responsibilities.To cope with the growing demand, many are turning to artificial intelligence and robotics to automate routine work and keep services running smoothly.From robotic dispensing systems to AI platforms that manage inventory and workflows, these tools are increasingly integrated into pharmacy operations.Automation takes on routine pharmacy workAutomation is increa
  
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• OpenAI Pursues $50B Investment From Middle East

  22-01-2026 13:45 via eweek.com
  OpenAI is actively pursuing investments from Middle Eastern sovereign wealth funds for a new funding round that could reach $50 billion.
  CEO Sam Altman is currently in the United Arab Emirates conducting these high-stakes negotiations, with the round expected to close within the first quarter of this year, according to sources familiar with the discussions.
  Bloomberg reported it first, and CNBC confirmed the news.
  This represents a shift from OpenAI’s previous funding history. The company
  
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• Palantir Helps Ukraine Turn Battlefield Data Into Drone Intercepts

  22-01-2026 13:06 via eweek.com
  Ukraine is partnering with Palantir to turn battlefield data into AI systems designed to counter drone attacks, launching a secure new platform aimed at accelerating autonomous air defense. The initiative places AI at the center of Ukraine’s effort to keep pace with increasingly large-scale aerial threats.In a LinkedIn post, Ukraine’s Minister of Digital Transformation Mykhailo Fedorov said the project will give Ukrainian defense developers access to a secure AI environment buil
  
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• Cool AI Tools for Beginners You Can Use Right Now

  22-01-2026 13:02 via eweek.com
  AI shows up everywhere now, from your messaging apps to scheduling tools, but figuring out where to start isn’t always straightforward. Some tools promise big results but turn out to be harder to use than expected, while others seem helpful but never quite fit into everyday work routines. But here’s the good news: a growing number of AI tools are designed to be practical first. These AI platforms focus on saving time, enhancing clarity, and automating routine tasks that pile up
  
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• Microsoft Debuts Rho-alpha Robotics Model for Next Phase of ‘Physical AI’

  22-01-2026 11:46 via eweek.com
  A growing push in AI aims to move robots beyond repetitive factory work and into the messy, dynamic environments where people live and work.
  Microsoft Research says that shift is now accelerating with the rise of vision-language-action systems designed to connect perception, reasoning, and movement in a single model.
  With that ‘vision’ to ponder, the tech firm has announced Rho-alpha, its first robotics model derived from the company’s Phi series of vision-language models. The
  
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• Davos 2026: Nvidia CEO Says AI Boom Will Spur Demand for Electricians and Plumbers

  22-01-2026 09:50 via eweek.com
  That sink-ing feeling about AI? Actually, it may be OK if the CEO of Nvidia is correct.
  At the World Economic Forum’s Davos 2026, Jensen Huang delivered an announcement that the biggest beneficiaries won’t be software engineers or data scientists—they’ll be electricians and plumbers.
  While tech workers worry about being replaced, skilled tradespeople are seeing their salaries nearly double to six-figure incomes as demand explodes for the massive infrastructure buildout po
  
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• 7 Practical Ways to Build Real AI Skills in 2026

  21-01-2026 19:49 via eweek.com
  AI keeps popping up in every corner of work life, and it’s becoming the skill people use to run circles around everyone else. You don’t need to be a coder or a tech diehard to get value out of it, but you do need to understand how it fits into the way you solve problems. The ones who pick it up early usually land the faster workflows, the better ideas, and, often, the better roles.If you’re wondering where to begin, here are seven ways to build real AI skills: simple, doable, a
  
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• ChatGPT’s New Age Detection System Includes ‘Selfie’ Verification

  21-01-2026 19:35 via eweek.com
  OpenAI has officially launched a new system that aims to predict your age by watching how you use ChatGPT.Announced on Tuesday, the AI giant is rolling out an “age prediction” model across its ChatGPT consumer plans. Instead of just taking your word for it, the system now looks for digital clues to determine if an account belongs to a minor.According to the company, “When the age prediction model estimates that an account may belong to someone under 18, ChatGPT automatically ap
  
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• 14 Ways to Use Microsoft Copilot More Effectively at Work

  21-01-2026 18:05 via eweek.com
  The novelty of AI has officially worn off, replaced by the reality of the “blank prompt box” stare. While Copilot is baked into every corner of Microsoft 365, many users are still getting robotic, “corporate-speak” results that require more time to edit than they saved in the first place.The secret isn’t in the software — it’s in the instructions. Think of Copilot not as a mind-reader, but as an incredibly capable — yet very literal — in
  
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• This $4.4B AI Startup, Backed by Jeff Bezos, Focuses on Human Workers

  21-01-2026 17:45 via eweek.com
  While much of the AI sector focuses on replacing human labor, one new startup is centering its technology on people instead. Enter Humans&, a freshly launched AI lab that is already turning heads and wallets across Silicon Valley.The San Francisco–based company has raised a staggering $480 million in seed funding, instantly valuing the startup at approximately $4.48 billion before a public product has even emerged. Backers include some of the most influential names in tech and venture
  
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• OpenAI’s GPT-5.3 Leak Hints at a Smarter, Faster, Cheaper AI

  21-01-2026 16:40 via eweek.com
  While the AI world has been buzzing about the power of Google’s Gemini 3 and the coding finesse of Claude 4.5, leaks suggest OpenAI is preparing a “tactical strike” with GPT-5.3. This isn’t just a minor patch; it’s an attempt to reclaim the crown by focusing on what insiders call “cognitive density” — making the AI smarter and faster without simply increasing its size.According to leaks shared by multiple sources, the new version is codenamed
  
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• Meta’s Superintelligence Labs Hits First Breakthrough AI Models

  21-01-2026 16:39 via eweek.com
  Consumers can’t see it yet, but one famous AI firm is feeling very happy about it.
  Meta’s elite Superintelligence Labs has produced its first breakthrough AI models after six months of intense development.
  CTO Andrew Bosworth revealed at Davos 2026 that the internal models are showing “very good” results, marking a dramatic turnaround from the harsh criticism Meta faced when Llama 4 launched nine months ago and struggled against Google’s Gemini.
  The breakthrough, as
  
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• Anthropic CEO Sounds Alarm: AI Chips for China Are Like Nukes for North Korea

  21-01-2026 16:04 via eweek.com
  Dario Amodei doesn’t usually do media blitzes, but when he does, they come with, how do we say this… an air for the dramatic? So when the Anthropic CEO showed up at Davos and delivered three separate interviews warning about AI’s trajectory, people paid attention.The headline-grabber? He called the potential sale of US AI chips to China “a bit like selling nuclear weapons to North Korea.”But that soundbite undersells what he actually laid out. Here’s what Dar
  
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• House Passes Historic AI Bill for US Small Businesses

  21-01-2026 15:05 via eweek.com
  Main Street can afford to be merry, thanks to an important vote.
  The House of Representatives pushed through the AI for Main Street Act with an overwhelming 395-14 vote, creating a U.S. government mandate to provide AI education access to small enterprises nationwide.
  This bipartisan event signals that the AI revolution has officially reached Main Street, with lawmakers recognizing that small businesses can no longer be left behind in the technological transformation reshaping the economy.
  Chang
  
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• HSBC Picks Harvey AI for Lawful Good Plans

  21-01-2026 13:35 via eweek.com
  A financial giant has made a move in the legal world—and it might change how banking handles complex legal work forever.
  HSBC, one of the world’s largest banks, has rolled out the Harvey AI platform.
  The AI platform is designed to tackle sophisticated legal analysis that traditionally required teams of experienced lawyers working around the clock.
  As banks worldwide face mounting regulatory pressures and increasingly complex compliance requirements, HSBC’s move signals somethin
  
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• ServiceNow Taps OpenAI to Run Agentic AI Across Enterprise Workflows

  21-01-2026 12:04 via eweek.com
  ServiceNow is tapping OpenAI to drive a new wave of agentic AI across complex enterprise workflows. The companies have signed a multi-year deal to bring OpenAI’s frontier models into the 80 billion workflows running on ServiceNow each year.ServiceNow and OpenAI said the partnership makes OpenAI a preferred intelligence engine for the platform and will introduce advanced capabilities inside enterprise systems. Giving enterprise workflows a new AI control layerThe partnership equips Ser
  
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• Davos 2026: Anthropic CEO Turns Heads With Nvidia Critique

  21-01-2026 12:04 via eweek.com
  It’s a bit unusual for someone to rebuke an investor in their AI company, but we live in interesting times.
  Anthropic Chief Executive Officer Dario Amodei has issued a renewed warning over the US decision to allow Nvidia to resume sales of advanced AI chips to China, saying the move could carry what he called “incredible national security implications.”
  Speaking at the World Economic Forum in Davos during an interview with Bloomberg Editor-in-Chief John Micklethwait, Amodei arg
  
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• Davos 2026: AI Anxiety Set to Rise Amid Layoffs and Lawsuits

  21-01-2026 08:36 via eweek.com
  Global concern about AI is set to intensify in 2026, following a year in which job cuts linked to the technology dominated headlines and public debate.
  Influential policymakers, business leaders, and analysts say the economic promise of AI is colliding with growing uncertainty for workers, and that companies and governments remain dangerously unprepared for the pace of change.
  A ‘tsunami’
  Speaking Tuesday (Jan. 20) at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, Kristalina Georgie
  
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• Top Robots and Humanoids Trending Right Now

  20-01-2026 22:45 via eweek.com
  Humanoid robots used to feel like something you’d only see in lab demos or sci-fi movies. Now they’re walking factory floors, lifting boxes in warehouses, and showing up in places that matter. What’s changed isn’t just better hardware, but also smarter AI and serious investment behind it. Still, not every humanoid making headlines is ready for practical work. Some are still carefully polished concepts, while others are already being tested or deployed. Here&rsqu
  
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• AI Is Quietly Propping Up the Global Economy, IMF Says

  20-01-2026 18:04 via eweek.com
  The International Monetary Fund (IMF) just delivered an unexpected signal: the global economy may be stronger than feared in 2026.In its latest outlook, the IMF raised its growth forecast, pointing to sustained investment in artificial intelligence even as trade tensions and tariff risks continue to hover over the global economy. The message is cautiously optimistic… but narrowly so.A small revision with global implicationsThe IMF now forecasts global growth of 3.3% in 2026, a 0.2 percent
  
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• OpenAI Sets 2026 Timeline for Its First-Ever Hardware Reveal

  20-01-2026 17:23 via eweek.com
  The long-rumored collaboration between the creators of ChatGPT and the design genius behind the iPhone is moving out of the shadows and onto the calendar.OpenAI says it’s on track to unveil its first-ever device in the second half of 2026. The confirmation came from Chris Lehane, the company’s chief global affairs officer, speaking at Axios House Davos.Lehane said OpenAI is “looking at something in the latter part [of 2026],” while stressing that the timing is still not s
  
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