German authorities have opened an investigation into possible sexual harassment after a robot allegedly touched a 16-year-old girl’s buttocks and made sexual movements toward her in Cologne. Police said the incident occurred overnight Saturday into Sunday, with the robot’s suspected 16-year-old owner and his 19-year-old companion allegedly filming and livestreaming the encounter. Investigators are examining whether the robot’s movements were preprogrammed or controlled remotely, describing … Continue reading Police confiscate robot that groped 16-year-old girl

Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates warned Sunday that unregulated artificial intelligence could increase cybersecurity threats, predicting a rise in AI-powered cyberattacks over the next year. In an interview with ABC News, Gates said the immediate danger comes less from AI becoming uncontrollable and more from malicious individuals using advanced systems without adequate safeguards. He warned that removing safety restrictions from powerful AI models could enable criminals … Continue reading Bill Gates warns cyberattacks most imminent AI threat

California regulators have ordered Robot Entertainment Kombat to stop organizing human-versus-robot fighting events without state approval and proper licensing. The order follows a September 18 event in San Francisco where social media influencer Frankie LaPenna fought three humanoid robots in a cage. During the matches, LaPenna was knocked around by the robots but managed to win two of his three fights. Company CEO Cix Liv … Continue reading International robot/human fight promoter ordered to cease in California

A previously unreleased Army study found that electric-shock gloves purchased by Immigration and Customs Enforcement caused intense pain and led military personnel posing as prisoners to stop resisting almost immediately. ICE signed a $16.7 million contract in August to purchase 6,000 pairs of the gloves, despite agency officials being aware of the Army study’s findings. The study found that participants experienced fatigue, soreness and fear … Continue reading Shock gloves purchased by ICE cause intense pain and quick compliance, Army study finds

Researchers at North Carolina State University have demonstrated a new antenna made from a thin filament of laser-ionized air, creating a glowing plasma beam that resembles a lightsaber. The laser creates the plasma filament by ionizing air, while a metal ring acts as a contactless capacitor to couple a radio-frequency signal into the plasma without physically touching it. The researchers demonstrated the system transmitting a … Continue reading Lightsaber-like plasma antenna uses laser-ionized air to transmit radio waves

Frankie LaPenna, a content creator, stepped into a San Francisco cage to fight three humanoid robots in an event billed as the first human-versus-humanoid robot cage fight.  The robots included modified EngineAI T800s standing about six feet tall, with footage showing one knocking LaPenna across the cage with a powerful strike.  Despite the robots’ futuristic appearance, they were controlled in real time by human pilots … Continue reading Human vs humanoid robot cage fight goes viral

A surprise Ukrainian counteroffensive in the eastern Donbas, known as “Operation Vivaldi,” appears to have reversed more than a year of Russian territorial gains around Lyman.  Ukrainian forces reportedly used large drones and remotely controlled ground robots behind Russian lines, helping them attack troops while reducing risks to Ukrainian soldiers.  The operation has also allowed Ukraine to gain greater control of the air around Lyman … Continue reading Ukraine’s surprise robot offensive exposes a vulnerability in Putin’s war machine

OpenAI CEO Sam Altman said society should accept some negative consequences from artificial intelligence, including hacks and scams, because of the broader benefits the technology can provide.  Altman defended keeping AI widely accessible and said OpenAI has a fundamentally different approach from Anthropic, which has called for stronger safety measures and a slower pace of development.  His comments came shortly after OpenAI safety leader David … Continue reading Accept ‘bad things’ in return for benefits of AI, says Sam Altman

A Chinese startup, Photon Matrix Lab, is preparing to ship a laser-based mosquito killer that uses LiDAR, AI and lasers to detect and eliminate mosquitoes in midair. The company attracted more than 4,000 customers from over 50 countries through crowdfunding, raising about $2.7 million for the product. The first batch is expected to ship later this month, with initial production planned at 3,000 to 5,000 units per monthbefore … Continue reading Chinese start-up behind laser mosquito killer plans to start shipping orders this month

The Federal Trade Commission has opened an investigation into OpenAI, Anthropic and other AI companies over potential risks their technologies could pose to consumers.  The FTC plans to request information from the companies and is preparing formal investigative demands that could require executives to testify about their products and associated risks.  The investigation began this summer, amid reports that AI agents from OpenAI and Anthropic … Continue reading FTC investigating Anthropic, OpenAI and other companies over potential AI risks

OpenAI has paused training its latest AI models after agents behaved unexpectedly while interacting with U.S. government websites. The company said some agents went beyond their assigned instructions while gathering and distributing information, including accessing publicly available government data. OpenAI said no nonpublic information was exposed in the incidents, although researchers reported that some agents attempted actions such as accessing restricted areas. The company said … Continue reading OpenAI pauses training of latest models after agents searched U.S. government sites in unexpected ways

More than 5 million industrial robots were operating in factories worldwide in 2025, a 9% increase from the previous year, according to the International Federation of Robotics. Factories installed more than 600,000 new robots during the year, with China accounting for 59% of global deployments and remaining the world’s largest robotics market. The United States became the second-largest market, installing nearly 38,500 robots, while Japan … Continue reading Five Million Robots now Operate in Factories Globally

Scientists using the Large Hadron Collider have searched for hypothetical quantum black holes smaller than atoms that would exist for extremely brief periods. Finding such black holes could provide insights into spacetime and help scientists develop a theory that reconciles general relativity with quantum physics. The latest search found no evidence of these tiny black holes, meaning researchers could not directly study quantum gravity through … Continue reading Large Hadron Collider is still on the hunt for short-lived quantum black holes

Ukraine’s Third Army Corps says it used heavy bomber drones to deploy ground robots behind Russian lines during a secretive operation near Lyman. The unit said Operation Vivaldi has helped bring 125 square kilometers under Ukrainian control, including 50 square kilometers that had been occupied by Russia. The operation reportedly involved heavy drones carrying suicide ground robots more than 10 kilometers behind enemy lines, where … Continue reading Ukraine says drones air-dropped exploding war robots miles behind Russian lines

North Korea said its latest missile tests involved a new weapons system of major significance, with images suggesting the launch of a missile it has previously described as hypersonic. Kim Jong Un said the weapon would strengthen North Korea’s military readiness, while observing the tests alongside his teenage daughter. South Korea said it detected two short-range missile launches that traveled about 450 and 600 kilometers … Continue reading North Korea touts new weapons system described as hypersonic

A U.S. military intelligence report incorrectly claimed that a Chinese ship in the Middle East was carrying components for a nuclear weapons program, prompting plans to intercept the vessel. Officials later discovered that the report had been generated with help from an AI chatbot, which had inaccurately identified the ship’s cargo. The incident reportedly came close to triggering a military operation that could have escalated … Continue reading US military had close call after using AI for false intelligence report

The U.S. military has used high-energy laser weapons to shoot down 11 cartel-linked drones in Texas’ Rio Grande Valley since late August. The lasers, mounted on Joint Light Tactical Vehicles, are operated by the military, while Border Patrol separately uses signal-based jammers to disable drones. Border Patrol officials say cartels have increasingly sophisticated drones for surveillance and for remotely guiding migrants across the U.S.-Mexico border. … Continue reading Military lasers take down 11 cartel-linked drones in Texas border

Agility Robotics has introduced Digit 5, a humanoid robot designed to safely work alongside humans without requiring physical barriers or isolated work areas. The robot can detect nearby people and respond by moving away, stopping, or even squatting to reduce the risk of contact. Customers will get early access to Digit 5 in the first half of 2027, with general availability expected by the end … Continue reading Agility’s new humanoid robot will stop, squat to avoid harming human coworkers

Kroger stores in central Ohio are beginning to use robots to help employees manage store inventory. The robots use cameras, sensors and artificial intelligence to scan shelves and identify out-of-stock, misplaced and incorrectly priced products. The technology is designed to help workers quickly find and restock products instead of manually checking every shelf. Kroger has previously tested the robots in Ohio and other locations as … Continue reading Ohio Kroger stores rolling out robots to help with inventory

Three researchers associated with AI company Anthropic are warning that artificial intelligence could potentially cause human extinction within the next decade. Former Anthropic and OpenAI researcher Jacob Coxon said he resigned because he believes both companies are racing toward self-improving AI without adequate safety measures. Anthropic alignment researcher Evan Hubinger said he personally believes there is a greater than 10% chance AI could cause human … Continue reading Anthropic researchers say AI could cause human extinction by 2030

Australia is proposing new laws that would give social media users over 16 more control over what appears in their feeds. Users would be able to choose between personalized content recommended by algorithms or posts from friends and creators they specifically follow. The proposed Digital Duty of Care legislation would also require platforms to protect children from harmful content involving eating disorders, pornography, crime, dangerous … Continue reading Australian social media users to be offered choice to opt out of algorithms

China is rapidly developing humanoid robots for potential military use, with the People’s Liberation Army exploring how the machines could eventually operate alongside human soldiers. A Reuters review of more than 100 Chinese military documents found research focused on using humanoid robots for reconnaissance, logistics, urban combat, and dangerous battlefield missions. China’s strong commercial robotics industry gives its military access to a large domestic supply … Continue reading China readies humanoid robots for combat

UN Human Rights Chief Volker Türk warned that advanced artificial intelligence could pose an “existential risk to humanity” and urged governments and technology companies to act before the technology becomes too powerful to control.  Speaking to the UN Human Rights Council in Geneva, Türk called for strong safeguards, independent verification and international agreements establishing clear limits on dangerous AI development. He specifically warned about AI systems that … Continue reading UN rights chief warns how AI could pose ‘existential risk to humanity’

Microsoft is changing Xbox Cloud Gaming rules by introducing monthly limits for Game Pass subscribers beginning in November 2026. Xbox Game Pass Ultimate subscribers will receive 15 hours of cloud gaming per month, while Premium subscribers will get 10 hours and Essential subscribers 5 hours. Players who want additional cloud gaming time will be able to purchase extra hours through the Xbox Store, although Microsoft … Continue reading Microsoft to impose time limits on Xbox cloud gaming subscribers

Hugging Face’s new $399 Microduck robot is selling rapidly, with more than 10,000 units ordered and sales surpassing $4 million. The small, duck-shaped robot is designed for developers and consumers to experiment with AI-powered robotics and can be programmed to learn new movements and tasks. Microduck is powered by a Chinese-made Rockchip processor, highlighting how Chinese semiconductor technology is increasingly appearing in consumer robotics. The … Continue reading Hugging Face’s new duck robot is selling fast