Research & Development news

• Plaud Pursues Plaudits With AI Note-Taking Wearable Launch

  05-01-2026 13:34 via eweek.com
  Farewell, my lovely memory. If you decide to have a ‘big sleep’ in a meeting, fear not, a wearable could come to the rescue.
  Plaud has revealed its laudable ambitions with the unveiling of two products that could redefine how professionals capture and use information from conversations.
  On show is the upgraded wearable device, the Plaud NotePin S, alongside a new desktop application, Plaud Desktop. Together, the company positions the releases as the first unified AI note-taking syste
  
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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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• Anthropic Roll Outs Global AI Training Program for Teachers

  20-01-2026 16:39 via eweek.com
  Anthropic has partnered with Teach For All to roll out a global AI training initiative.
  This is designed to help educators in 63 countries build practical AI fluency and create classroom-ready tools using Claude. The collaboration, delivered through the AI Literacy & Creator Collective (LCC), is expected to reach more than 100,000 teachers and alumni across Teach For All’s network, which serves more than 1.5 million students worldwide.
  The initiative arrives at a moment when schools an
  
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• Why Ben Affleck and Matt Damon Think AI Is Bad for Storytelling

  20-01-2026 15:51 via eweek.com
  Hollywood’s most famous Boston duo isn’t buying the idea that AI can replace real storytelling.Ben Affleck and Matt Damon sat down with Joe Rogan this past week to promote their new Netflix thriller, “The Rip,” but the conversation quickly shifted to the future of creativity. The long-time friends offered a blunt, surprisingly deep look at how artificial intelligence and streaming algorithms are trying — and often failing — to replace the human touch in m
  
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• Emergent Raises $70M Series B for Vibe Coding Ambitions

  20-01-2026 15:00 via eweek.com
  Emergent, an AI software creation platform designed to help anyone build full-stack, production-ready web and mobile applications, has raised $70 million in Series B funding.
  The round was led by Khosla Ventures and SoftBank Vision Fund 2, with participation from Prosus, Lightspeed, Together, and Y Combinator.
  The company said in the announcement that the new capital brings its total funding to $100 million within seven months of launching.
  The announcement comes as Emergent reports rapid early
  
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• Alibaba-Backed Moonshot AI Valuation Jumps to $4.8B

  20-01-2026 14:30 via eweek.com
  Alibaba-backed Moonshot AI has added $500 million to its valuation in just weeks, lifting the Chinese AI startup to about $4.8 billion as demand around its Kimi models continues to build inside China’s fast-moving AI market.The jump follows Moonshot’s most recent funding round late last year and comes as interest in domestic AI companies intensifies, with investors focusing on Chinese-built models as alternatives to Western chatbots that remain unavailable in mainland China, CNBC rep
  
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• Unbox Robotics Raises $28M for Warehouse Automation

  20-01-2026 12:26 via eweek.com
  Indian firm Unbox Robotics has raised $28 million in funding for its plans in warehouse automation.
  The round includes a mix of primary and secondary capital and was led by ICICI Ventures and Info Edge’s Redstart Labs, with participation from US-based F-Prime, 3one4 Capital, Navam Capital, Force Ventures, and other existing investors.
  This signals a maturing phase for the Pune-based startup, where long-term team retention and reward structures are increasingly becoming part of late-stage d
  
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• UBTech’s Humanoid Robots Step Into Airbus Factories in Global Manufacturing Push

  20-01-2026 10:42 via eweek.com
  Chinese robotics company UBTech is taking one of its biggest steps yet toward globalising humanoid robots, partnering with European aviation giant Airbus to deploy its Walker S2 robots in aircraft manufacturing. The deal puts UBTech’s Walker S2 robots into one of the world’s most complex and tightly regulated industrial environments, and highlights China’s accelerating push to lead the next phase of industrial automation.Under the agreement, Airbus has purchased UBTech&rsq
  
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• Anthropic Uncovers AI Personality Crisis as Models Secretly Switch Identities

  20-01-2026 09:31 via eweek.com
  AI chatbots are experiencing dramatic personality shifts that could fundamentally change how we interact with AI.
  Research published by Anthropic reveals that large language models possess a hidden “Assistant Axis” that controls their helpful behavior—and when it breaks down, the results can be interesting.
  Most AI models naturally adopt a helpful assistant identity through their training process, according to Anthropic. But this seemingly stable persona masks a complex interna
  
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• MND Diagnosis Leads UK Councillor to AI Voice Solution

  20-01-2026 08:36 via eweek.com
  There can be plenty of negative stories around AI, such as ‘slop’ and job cuts, but here’s a positive example.
  A UK councillor who struggles to speak after developing motor neurone disease (MND) is using AI technology to communicate using his own pre-recorded voice.
  Nick Varley was diagnosed with the neurodegenerative disorder in November 2024 after beginning to have difficulty speaking. Now, through new AI voice-cloning technology, Varley is able to speak with a digital versio
  
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• Emergent Launches Vibe Coding Platform After $23M Raise

  20-01-2026 08:36 via eweek.com
  When a funding round has interest from Google and Thinking Machines, you may be thinking it’s a firm that has good vibes.
  Emergent has raised $23 million in Series A funding as it moves to expand a platform designed to make software creation accessible to people without technical backgrounds.
  The round was led by Lightspeed, with participation from YC, Together, Prosus, and a slate of prominent AI angel investors. Among those named were Jeff Dean (Google), Devendra Chaplot (Thinking Machin
  
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• What Is AI Slop and Why It’s Taking Over the Internet

  19-01-2026 21:28 via eweek.com
  AI can now write blog posts, generate images, narrate videos, and publish at a remarkable speed. That’s how the internet ended up with AI-written travel guides that say nothing useful, bizarre YouTube videos about cats with soap-opera plotlines, and social media posts that sound informative but offer little substance. This flood of low-quality content has a name: AI slop. The term has gained popularity as generative AI tools make content creation faster, cheaper, and easier to scale.
  
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