AI News

Follow the latest AI and automation news

14 May 202627 Dhuʻl-Qiʻdah 1447 AH

Physical AI moves closer to factory floors as companies test humanoid robots

British company Humanoid has partnered with German supplier Schaeffler to deploy 1,000 to 2,000 robots across its global factories by 2032. The first deployment is set for December 2026 to June 2027 at two sites in Germany, focusing on tasks like box handling. Humanoid will assist in integrating these robots into Schaeffler's existing production lines, building on a previous partnership announced in January. Schaeffler will also become Humanoid's preferred supplier for actuators through 2031, covering over half of Humanoid's demand for its wheeled humanoid platforms.

Business

14 May 202627 Dhuʻl-Qiʻdah 1447 AH

Anthropic’s latest Claude offering looks to target SMBs

Anthropic has introduced a new feature in its Claude Cowork platform aimed at small and medium-sized businesses (SMBs). The Claude for Small Businesses suite integrates with software like QuickBooks and PayPal, offering 15 ready-to-run workflows and skills to streamline daily tasks. Users can automate functions such as bookkeeping and document signing, enhancing operational efficiency.

Infrastructure

14 May 202627 Dhuʻl-Qiʻdah 1447 AH

US Data Center Spending Reaches $50 Billion in 2026

In March 2026, US spending on data centers reached approximately $50 billion, surpassing traditional office construction spending, which fell to $46 billion. This shift indicates a 437% increase in data center spending since 2021, when it averaged around $9 billion annually. Conversely, the office market is experiencing a long-term contraction due to rising vacancies and decreased demand for traditional spaces post-pandemic.

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Embodied AI Startup Zenbot Raises Near-100 Million Yuan in Angel Round

What impact will this funding have on the future of embodied AI?

Agents

Tencent open-sources Agent Memory to cut AI token consumption by 61%

14 May 202627 Dhuʻl-Qiʻdah 1447 AH

Agents

14 May 202627 Dhuʻl-Qiʻdah 1447 AH

Tencent open-sources Agent Memory to cut AI token consumption by 61%

Tencent has announced the release of an open-source tool designed to address context window limitations for AI agents in long tasks. Utilizing context offloading and task canvas technologies, this tool reduces token consumption by 61%, marking a significant advancement in AI efficiency. The new tool enhances how agents process information during lengthy tasks, allowing for more effective data management. By leveraging context offloading, agents can now deliver quicker and more accurate results, showcasing Tencent's commitment to advancing AI solutions.

Models

KOKONI Unveils VGGT Series: Breakthroughs in 3D Perception for Dynamic High-Fidelity Reconstruction

14 May 202627 Dhuʻl-Qiʻdah 1447 AH

Models

14 May 202627 Dhuʻl-Qiʻdah 1447 AH

KOKONI Unveils VGGT Series: Breakthroughs in 3D Perception for Dynamic High-Fidelity Reconstruction

KOKONI has announced four consecutive breakthroughs in 3D world models, achieved in collaboration with various research teams, including Professor Zhou Lanyun's team from Tongji University. These advancements leverage the Visual Geometric Transformer (VGGT) architecture to address bottlenecks in 3D perception, marking a leap from basic image reconstruction to high-fidelity four-dimensional global models. Effective and accurate 3D perception is essential for world modeling, requiring continuous memory for long spatial-temporal sequences and causal separation of complex dynamics.

Business

Global Semiconductor Market Expected to Exceed $1.5 Trillion by 2030

14 May 202627 Dhuʻl-Qiʻdah 1447 AH

Business

14 May 202627 Dhuʻl-Qiʻdah 1447 AH

Global Semiconductor Market Expected to Exceed $1.5 Trillion by 2030

Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company forecasts that the global semiconductor market will surpass $1.5 trillion by 2030, driven by the accelerating demand for AI technologies and high-performance computing. This estimate exceeds their previous forecast of $1 trillion. TSMC indicated that AI and advanced computing technologies will account for approximately 55% of the expected market, followed by smartphones at 20% and automotive applications at 10%. This reflects a structural shift in demand sources for semiconductors.

Agents

SenseTime Launches Embodied AI Convenience Store with Humanoid Robot Clerks in Shanghai

14 May 202627 Dhuʻl-Qiʻdah 1447 AH

Agents

14 May 202627 Dhuʻl-Qiʻdah 1447 AH

SenseTime Launches Embodied AI Convenience Store with Humanoid Robot Clerks in Shanghai

SenseTime has opened a new convenience store in Shanghai that operates entirely with robots. Customers can scan a QR code to place orders via their phones, enabling the robot to receive the order, retrieve the product, and deliver it directly. During the Labor Day holiday, the store experienced a significant influx of customers, demonstrating the effectiveness of robots in service delivery. The robots in the store are capable of selecting products, analyzing price data, and restocking inventory, ensuring comprehensive coverage of retail tasks.

Business

Lead Microsoft AI scientist Li Hongzhi joins China’s Tongji University

14 May 202627 Dhuʻl-Qiʻdah 1447 AH

Business

14 May 202627 Dhuʻl-Qiʻdah 1447 AH

Lead Microsoft AI scientist Li Hongzhi joins China’s Tongji University

Li Hongzhi, the former head of the GenAI group at Microsoft Asia, has joined Tongji University, one of China's leading institutions. He began his career at Microsoft after earning a Ph.D. from Columbia University, where he worked for over 10 years in research. During his tenure, he led the GenAI group, contributing to the development of advanced AI technologies. Tongji University is recognized for its focus on scientific research and innovation. Li's appointment reflects a growing trend of integrating industrial expertise with academic education.

Infrastructure

Baidu Cloud Upgrades to Full-Stack AI Cloud for Agent Era at Create 2026 Conference

14 May 202627 Dhuʻl-Qiʻdah 1447 AH

Infrastructure

14 May 202627 Dhuʻl-Qiʻdah 1447 AH

Baidu Cloud Upgrades to Full-Stack AI Cloud for Agent Era at Create 2026 Conference

At the AI 2026 Developer Conference held on May 13, Baidu's Executive Vice President, Shen Dou, announced a comprehensive upgrade of the Baidu Cloud platform to a full-stack AI cloud. The new platform supports key local models such as Ernie and DeepSeek, achieving a 25% improvement in inference speed compared to market benchmarks. The platform also features the Harness architecture, which manages long contexts and persistent memory, achieving success rates of up to 95% in task scenarios. Additionally, the inference performance for long-chain agents has been enhanced to be three times better than that of leading open-source engines.