Pulse

Humanoid robots are being developed with advanced AI capabilities to better understand and respond to social cues. Researchers are focusing on enabling these robots to interpret human emotions and intentions, allowing for more natural and intuitive interactions. This development aims to improve the integration of robots into human environments and enhance their ability to perform tasks requiring social awareness. AI

Microsoft has introduced MDASH, a new agentic security system designed to identify vulnerabilities in Windows. This system reportedly outperforms leading AI models from OpenAI and Anthropic on the CyberGym benchmark. The development comes after Microsoft discovered 16 security flaws within its Windows operating system. AI

Clio, a Canadian legal technology firm, has achieved $500 million in annual recurring revenue. This significant growth was fueled by the integration of AI into its platform starting in 2023. The company more than doubled its ARR from $200 million to its current $500 million within a two-year period, capitalizing on the increasing adoption of AI in the legal sector. AI

Alibaba reported a significant increase in AI product revenue for the first quarter, reaching 8.97 billion yuan (approximately $1.3 billion USD). This figure represents triple-digit growth, indicating strong market adoption and expansion of their AI offerings. The surge in revenue contributed to a 7.8% increase in Alibaba's shares on the Hong Kong stock exchange. AI

The UK's AI Security Institute has released findings on new AI models, noting significant gains in cyber capabilities from both Mythos and GPT-5.5. These models appear to be limited by token usage rather than inherent ability, with a capability doubling time estimated at 4.5 months. Separately, Palantir CEO Alex Karp criticized Germany's defense procurement, urging them to adopt battle-tested Ukrainian technology. AI

The UK's tax authority, HMRC, has awarded a significant contract to the British tech firm Quantexa to implement an AI-powered system. This system will be used to identify potential fraud and errors within tax returns. The contract is valued at £175 million, highlighting the scale of investment in using AI for financial oversight. AI

Japan's three major banks, MUFG Bank, Sumitomo Mitsui Banking Corp., and Mizuho Bank, are poised to gain access to Anthropic's AI model, Mythos. This development follows concerns about potential cybersecurity risks associated with the model's recent limited release. The banks' anticipated access suggests a strategic move to leverage advanced AI capabilities. AI

New Brunswick plans to introduce an artificial intelligence curriculum for schools this fall, according to Education Minister Claire Johnson. The province aims to equip students with knowledge about AI, but some opposition groups have raised concerns about the implementation and content of the curriculum. AI

Apple has sided with Google in its dispute with the European Union over proposed regulations for Android's AI access. The EU's Digital Markets Act aims to ensure third-party AI services have the same access to Android as Google's Gemini, and to share search data with rivals. Apple echoed Google's concerns, stating that granting broad access to competing AI systems could compromise user privacy, security, and device integrity due to the evolving and unpredictable nature of AI. AI

Samsung Electronics has signed the European Union's Code of Conduct for smart appliances, aligning with new energy efficiency standards. This move expands the company's collaboration with European energy providers to promote sustainable smart home technology. The initiative aims to reduce the energy consumption of connected devices within the EU. AI

Mind Robotics, a spinoff from Rivian, has secured $400 million in new funding, bringing its total capital raised to over $1 billion. This significant investment validates the company's early backers and signals strong confidence in its future. The substantial financial backing is expected to accelerate Mind Robotics' development and market presence. AI

Clio, a legal tech company, has announced a significant financial milestone, reaching $500 million in annual recurring revenue. This achievement coincides with a period of intense competition and advancement in the AI sector, highlighted by Anthropic's recent moves. AI

Cisco reported strong fourth-quarter financial results, exceeding analyst expectations for both earnings and revenue, largely driven by significant demand for AI infrastructure. The company secured $5.3 billion in AI-related orders and raised its full-year AI revenue outlook to $4 billion. Despite these positive financial indicators and a 14% stock surge, Cisco also announced workforce reductions affecting nearly 4,000 employees, which CEO Chuck Robbins stated are necessary to optimize costs in light of AI opportunities. AI

Elon Musk's xAI is reportedly operating 46 natural gas turbines at its Mississippi data center without permits, potentially violating the Clean Air Act. The state of Mississippi considers the turbines "mobile" because they are on trailers, allowing them to operate for up to a year without permits, despite concerns about air quality and public health. The NAACP has filed a lawsuit, arguing that these turbines should be classified as stationary and subject to regulations, and is seeking an injunction against xAI's operations. AI

StepFun has released Step Image Edit 2, a 3.5 billion parameter image editing model that has achieved top rankings on the KRIS-Bench benchmark across multiple categories. This new version surpasses significantly larger models in performance and offers a rapid response time of 0.7 seconds. Concurrently, Tencent's Hy AI model is now available in preview on gmi_cloud, allowing developers to test its latest features. AI

An AI transcription tool intended for use by doctors in Ontario has been found to "hallucinate" and generate errors, according to a report by the province's auditor general. The artificial intelligence note-taking system provided incorrect and incomplete information, and its adequacy was not properly evaluated. This finding highlights potential risks associated with the implementation of AI in healthcare settings. AI

Envirotech Vehicles is set to merge with AZIO AI in a deal valued at $480 million. This strategic move aims to reshape AI infrastructure and includes a planned leadership transition. The merger is expected to significantly impact the AI sector. AI

Researchers have developed an AI-driven framework capable of generating detailed, all-atom models of proteins, including their dynamic movements. This new method moves beyond static protein snapshots to capture subtle atomic rearrangements. The work, published in the proceedings of NeurIPS 2025, has implications for understanding protein interactions and drug discovery. AI

Palantir Technologies has significantly expanded its artificial intelligence offerings for the military sector. The company secured a $448 million contract with the U.S. Navy and is in line for a potential $10 billion agreement with the U.S. Army. These deals highlight the growing role of Palantir's decision-orchestration platform in defense. AI

Robo.ai has secured $180 million in financing from ATW Partners to advance its AI innovation in areas like smart logistics and eVTOL technologies. In parallel, Rivian has announced its own AI autonomy strategy, which includes the development of custom silicon chips to enhance its electric vehicle technology. AI

Spain is moving forward with new regulations for social media platforms, including provisions related to artificial intelligence. This initiative is supported by Europe and Australia, despite significant lobbying efforts from major technology companies. The new rules aim to govern the use of AI within social media environments. AI

Chinese internet giant Kuaishou is reportedly exploring external funding for its AI video generation unit, Kling AI. The company is considering a restructuring of the business, which could involve bringing in outside investors. This move signals Kuaishou's strategic focus on advancing its generative AI video capabilities. AI

A startup named Vitriform3D has developed a novel binder jet 3D printing process that utilizes recycled post-consumer glass. Collaborating with Oak Ridge National Laboratory, the company is transforming waste glass into products like countertops and tiles. This method combines powdered glass with an adhesive agent, offering a sustainable approach to manufacturing. AI

Visa is evolving beyond its traditional plastic card model to become a digital settlement protocol. The company is embracing technological neutrality and integrating with blockchain technology. They are also developing an "Agentic Ready" program to prepare their infrastructure for autonomous AI agents. AI

Researchers have demonstrated that AI can be used to eavesdrop on conversations through fiber optic cables, highlighting a new physical security threat. Separately, AI has enabled the observation of lifeforms composed of fewer than 20 amino acids, opening new avenues in biomolecular design and evolutionary studies. Additionally, QuiverAI has launched a tool that transforms prompts and images into structured, editable vector graphics, streamlining design and content creation workflows. AI

Researchers have introduced AntAngelMed, a 103 billion parameter open-source medical language model. It utilizes a Mixture-of-Experts (MoE) architecture, activating only 6.1 billion parameters per query for enhanced efficiency. This design allows it to match the performance of a 40 billion parameter dense model while achieving speeds over 200 tokens per second on H20 hardware. The model supports a 128K context length and has undergone a three-stage training process including pre-training on medical corpora, supervised fine-tuning, and reinforcement learning. AI

An audit of AI-powered medical scribes in Ontario revealed significant inaccuracies, with most approved systems failing tests. These AI tools incorrectly transcribed patient conversations, with 60% misidentifying prescribed medications. The audit also found that nearly half of the systems generated fabricated information or missed crucial patient details, particularly concerning mental health. AI

DeepMind has introduced AI Pointer, a novel method for enhancing the reliability of AI agents. This technique allows agents to precisely reference and interact with specific elements within their environment. The development aims to improve the accuracy and predictability of AI agent behavior in complex tasks. AI

A new, lightweight AI model named Needle has been developed by distilling Gemini's tool-calling capabilities into a 26 million parameter model. This smaller model is designed to run on smartphones, making it easier for developers to build AI agents for mobile devices. The project aims to bring advanced AI functionalities to edge devices. AI

A new standard for disclosing the use of artificial intelligence in film production was introduced at the Cannes Film Market. This initiative, called 'Human Provenance,' aims to provide transparency regarding AI's role in creating movie content. The standard was developed in collaboration with various industry stakeholders. AI

Samsung's AI chip production faces potential disruption due to a planned two-week strike by its workers, set to begin on May 21. This strike could impact the supply of high-bandwidth memory (HBM), a critical component for AI computing, as Samsung and SK Hynix are among the few global manufacturers. The company recently reported a significant increase in chip income and achieved a valuation of over one trillion USD. AI

SAP and Anthropic have announced a partnership at SAP Sapphire 2026, integrating Anthropic's Claude into SAP's Joule AI. This collaboration aims to create an "autonomous enterprise" by automating processes across finance, HR, procurement, and supply chain functions. The integration will leverage SAP's Master Control Program (MCP) to connect systems like S/4HANA, SuccessFactors, and Ariba, enabling AI to operate within existing compliance frameworks. AI

Researchers are exploring new frontiers in AI, from autonomous laboratories to advanced human-computer interfaces. In Japan, an Institute of Science Tokyo lab operates entirely without humans, using robots for medical experiments. Google DeepMind has unveiled an AI pointer that understands context and voice commands for multimodal interaction. Meanwhile, the field of AI alignment is evolving beyond safety concerns to focus on 'positive alignment,' aiming to enhance human happiness and excellence, a challenge anticipated to be crucial in the coming decade. Additionally, AI is being applied to material science, with Microsoft Research introducing a multitask model for predicting material properties. AI

DeepMind has introduced AI Pointer, a novel system designed to enhance human-AI interaction by allowing users to intuitively guide AI models. Separately, Google announced Googlebook, a new platform built for Gemini Intelligence, which is slated for release in Fall 2026. AI

MIT Open Learning has launched a new program called Universal AI, designed to make AI fluency accessible to everyone. This initiative features AI-powered personalization and offers a free introductory course. Additionally, Databricks has announced its Student Fellows program, aimed at nurturing future leaders in data and AI. AI

Thinking Machines Lab, an AI research lab, has introduced a new class of systems called interaction models designed to overcome the limitations of traditional turn-based AI. These models feature a native multimodal architecture that allows for real-time human-AI collaboration, processing audio, video, and text inputs and outputs in continuous 200ms micro-turns. This approach enables the AI to listen, interrupt, and react proactively, moving beyond static chat interfaces to a more dynamic and integrated interaction. AI

Medicare has launched a new program called ACCESS, which establishes the first payment system specifically for AI agents in healthcare. This initiative focuses on rewarding positive health outcomes rather than specific actions, allowing AI to monitor patients remotely and coordinate care. The program is currently being tested by 150 companies and has the potential to significantly alter how healthcare is delivered. AI

A new investment group, GreaterThan Group, has raised $100 million to fund video game projects. The group, founded by a former NetEase executive, is backing "Star Wars: Fate of the Old Republic" and a new shooter game from David Vonderhaar, former design director for Black Ops. The funding aims to support creators working on their dream projects. AI

Organizations globally are developing labels to identify "human-made" products and services amidst a growing backlash against AI. Some experts suggest a spectrum-based certification system rather than a simple AI/AI-free binary approach. This movement aims to provide consumers with clearer choices regarding the origin of goods and services. AI

Mark Gadala-Maria highlighted AI's potential to revolutionize educational content creation, suggesting it could become the new standard. He also showcased an example of AI generating a non-existent N64 game using Seedance 2, demonstrating its creative capabilities in game and video generation. Separately, OpenBMB and ModelBest released MiniCPM-V 4.6 1.3B Instruct, a small multimodal model showing competitive performance for its size. Additionally, Thinking Machines introduced TML-Interaction-Small 276B-A12B, a model designed to advance real-time conversational voice interactions. AI

Holmes, a startup based in Ghent, has secured 1.1 million EUR in pre-seed funding to develop an autonomous quality assurance platform specifically for AI development. This platform is designed to learn product workflows and automatically generate tests for essential user journeys, aiming to streamline the AI testing process. AI

Synflux, a Japanese company, has won the Grand Prix at the Trailblazer 2026 awards, hosted by the Global Fashion Agenda. This marks the first time a Japanese company has achieved this honor. The award recognizes Synflux's innovative contributions to the fashion industry, particularly in areas of sustainability and digital technology. AI

Unitree has unveiled its GD01, a production-ready, human-piloted mecha suit, with prices starting at 3.9 million yuan. The company's founder demonstrated the suit's capabilities, highlighting its potential as a civilian transport vehicle and a showcase for Unitree's core robotics technologies. This launch aims to leverage the suit's unique appeal as a marketing engine. AI

Pillar, an Italian construction technology startup, has secured 12 million EUR in seed funding. The company plans to use this capital to develop an AI-powered operating system specifically designed for the construction industry. This platform aims to automate key processes such as quote generation, margin tracking, and workforce management. AI

The AI Dot Engineer hackathon in Singapore gathered over 300 builders, showcasing advancements in AI development tools and community engagement. Discussions at the event highlighted the future of AI models, moving beyond image generation to understanding complex real-world dynamics like movement and interaction. This evolution points towards real-time visual intelligence becoming a key focus for next-generation AI. AI

MiniMax has announced an update to improve the stability and quality of its Japanese language output, enhancing its capabilities as a multilingual LLM. Separately, a user shared results for Veo 3.1, noting improvements in the Omni model but deeming it inferior to Seedance 2.0, while anticipating a Veo 4 release at Google I/O. AI

OpenAI has established a new subsidiary, the OpenAI Deployment Company, to assist organizations in building and operating AI systems. This new entity aims to accelerate AI adoption by operating with increased speed and a customer-centric focus, distinct from OpenAI's core research and product development. The company is launching with an initial investment of $4 billion from 19 partners, including Bain Capital and SoftBank, and will integrate approximately 150 Forward Deployed Engineers from AI consulting firm Tomoro, which OpenAI is acquiring. AI

Seedream has launched Seedream 5.0, an AI image generation model. This new version boasts enhanced content understanding, faster processing speeds, and improved visual quality with higher resolution. Users can expect greater creative control over their generated images. AI

Hugging Face and AWS have collaborated to detail the infrastructure required for training and running large foundation models. The blog post outlines a layered architecture, emphasizing the interplay between AWS's compute, networking, and storage services with open-source software frameworks. It highlights the importance of efficient resource management and observability for large-scale AI operations. AI

OpenAI has established a new entity, "Deployment Company," to provide dedicated support for enterprise AI adoption. This move signifies a significant push by OpenAI to assist businesses in integrating its AI technologies. The company aims to facilitate the practical application of AI within corporate environments. AI