In today’s column, I debunk the common myth that if we attain artificial general intelligence (AGI) the resultant AI will be a solo colossus or said-to-be “one big brain”
Let’s talk about it.
This analysis of an innovative AI breakthrough is part of my ongoing Forbes column coverage on the latest in AI, including identifying and explaining various impactful AI complexities (see the link here).
In a study on ovarian cancer cells, researchers from Karolinska Institutet demonstrate how the tumor environment influences how cancer cells respond to drugs by using AI. The study has been published in the journal Communications Biology.
The cancer cells were cultured together with fibroblasts, a type of support cell, and treated with different drugs. Advanced computer programs were used to analyze images of the cancer cells to see how they changed. Fibroblasts play an important role in the tumor microenvironment. They can promote tumor growth, spread, and drug resistance, as well as affect the immune system.
“Our study shows that ovarian cancer cells cultured together with fibroblasts change their appearance when treated with drugs. This demonstrates how the tumor environment influences how cancer cells respond to drugs,” says Osheen Sharma, Ph.D. student at the Department of Oncology-Pathology, Karolinska Institutet, and the study’s first author.
A new neuroimaging study has revealed that viewing nature can help ease how people experience pain, by reducing the brain activity linked to pain perception.
Published in the journal Nature Communications, the research offers a promising foundation for new types of non-pharmacological pain treatments.
Using an fMRI scanner, researchers monitored the brain activity of 49 participants in Austria, as they received pain delivered through a series of small electric shocks. When they were watching videos of a natural scene compared to a city or an indoor office, participants not only reported feeling less pain, but scans showed the specific brain responses associated with processing pain changed too.
The study used advanced machine-learning to analyse the brain networks related to pain processing. The team discovered that the raw sensory signals the brain receives when something hurts were reduced when watching a carefully designed, high quality, virtual nature scene. The study confirmed previous findings that suggest nature can reduce subjective reports of pain, and also marks the first clear demonstration of how natural environments influence the brain, helping to buffer against unpleasant experiences.
Neura Robotics has built a diverse portfolio of robots, including MAiRA, the world’s first cognitive cobot. MAiRA uses artificial intelligence for autonomous operation and safe human interaction. The company also offers the MAV, a mobile robot for heavy load transport, and MiPA, a humanoid robot designed for tasks like serving trays in hospitals.
Through its cloud-based Neuraverse platform, Neura also creates cutting-edge software, in contrast to many robotics companies that only concentrate on hardware. Known as an “ecosystem for cognitive robotics,” the Neuraverse is a marketplace for robotic abilities and an operating system designed to spur innovation.
Many businesses displayed humanoid robots at CES 2025, demonstrating the momentum of the robotics sector. The humanoid robot “Melody,” created by Realbotix, is simple to assemble and disassemble. In the meantime, the full-size bipedal humanoid robot known as the “CASBOT 01” was introduced by China’s Lingbao CASBOT.
A group of Carnegie Mellon University researchers recently devised a method allowing them to create large amounts of a material required to make two-dimensional (2D) semiconductors with record high performance. Their paper, published in ACS Applied Materials & Interfaces in late December 2024, could lead to more efficient and tunable photodetectors, paving the way for the next generation of light-sensing and multifunctional optoelectronic devices.
“Semiconductors are the key enabling technology for today’s electronics, from laptops to smartphones to AI applications,” said Xu Zhang, assistant professor of electrical and computer engineering. “They control the flow of electricity, acting as a bridge between conductors (which allow electricity to flow freely) and insulators (which block it).”
Zhang’s research group wanted to develop a certain kind of photodetector, a device capable of detecting light and which can be used in a variety of applications. To create this photodetector, the group needed to use materials that were an atom’s-width thick, or as close to 2D as is possible.
Tesla is advancing towards a sustainable future through innovations in energy solutions, autonomous vehicles, and humanoid robots, while fostering a culture of safety and continuous improvement. ## Questions to inspire discussion s Future Production and Impact ” + 🚗 Q: How many vehicles does Tesla aim to produce by 2025? A: Tesla plans to produce over 10 million vehicles in 2025, up from just 20 in 2010, enabled by their compact, high-output factories.
S vision for Optimus humanoid robots? ” +A: Tesla envisions Optimus robots creating a future of abundance for all, producing goods and services with no limit when combined with solar energy and batteries.
🚕 Q: When will autonomous Teslas become widespread? A: Tesla expects autonomous vehicles to dominate roads within 5 years, with a software update enabling 10-100x more usefulness through robotaxi services. s Service and Energy Solutions ” + s approach to customer service? ” +s service team aims to provide a loveable experience, recognizing that future sales depend on service reputation and word-of-mouth marketing. ” + 🔋 Q: How do Megapack and Powerwall 3 benefit homeowners? A: Megapack and Powerwall 3 enable off-grid living and energy assurance, with Powerwall 3 and solar making homes self-sufficient during outages.
S unique about Teslas Supercharger network allows convenient road trips across the US, Mexico, Europe, and China, with charging speeds faster than a restroom break. ” +s AI and Manufacturing Innovations ” + s role in Teslas most powerful AI training systems. ” + s AI hardware compare to others? ” +s AI4 hardware is the most powerful and efficient AI inference computer, operating at very low power in all vehicles. ” + s innovative about TeslaA: The Cybertruck line aims to produce cars in under 5 seconds, using rapid liquid metal casting and automation, resembling a high-speed electronics line. ## Future of Transportation and Energy.
S full self-driving cars? ” +s self-driving cars achieve 10x human safety, never getting tired or distracted, and free up 10–12 hours per week for drivers. ” + s batteries contribute to grid stability? ” +A: Powerwall and Megapack batteries stabilize the grid by absorbing power spikes and filling drops, acting as a virtual grid in neighborhoods.
🚖 Q: How will the role of Uber and taxi drivers change? A: In the future, Uber and taxi drivers will manage fleets of self-driving cars instead of driving individually. ## Investment and Future Technologies.
WASHINGTON — The U.S. Space Force released a new strategy blueprint outlining how it plans to integrate artificial intelligence (AI) into its operations and improve AI literacy among its personnel. The document, titled “Data and Artificial Intelligence FY 2025 Strategic Action Plan,” was published March 19 in response to Defense Department directives calling for a more data-driven and AI-enabled force.
“The Space Force recognizes the critical role that data and artificial intelligence will play in maintaining space superiority,” Col. Nathen Iven, acting deputy chief of space operations for cyber and data, stated in the document.
The strategic plan outlines initiatives to “foster data literacy, equip our guardians with cutting-edge technologies, and drive innovation,” according to Iven.
A small team of AI engineers at Zoom Communications has developed a new approach to training AI systems that uses far fewer resources than the standard approach now in use. The team has published their results on the arXiv preprint server.
The new approach developed at Zoom is called Chain of Draft (CoD), an update of the traditional approach now in use called Chain of Thought (CoT). CoT uses a step-by-step approach to solving a problem, similar in many ways to human problem-solving. The research team noted that CoT tends to generate more steps than are needed to solve a problem and found a way to reduce them.
Humans do not usually think about every step involved in solving a problem, especially if they are writing them down, because some steps are seen as basic knowledge. Instead, they jump over or combine some of them. The result is a list of essential steps.
We have an opportunity to build systems that don’t just replicate our current inequities. Will we take them?
Artificial Intelligence (AI) has made significant strides in recent years, transforming various aspects of our lives. From self-driving cars to personalized recommendations on streaming platforms, AI has become an integral part of our daily existence. However, the fear that AI will replace humans entirely is unfounded. Instead, a more nuanced perspective emerges: AI will augment human capabilities, leading to the emergence of “AI-powered humans.”
