Machine learning & AI news

Computer Sciences

Strand AI on a desert island, and it starts playing and inventing games

AI agents tend to do things when we give them specific commands, such as analyzing data and answering questions. But what would they do if left to their own devices?

Consumer & Gadgets

App's AI 'eyes' for blind users fall short, researchers find

A blind man points his phone at a pan and asks, "Are the sausages brown yet?" The app he's using responds out loud that some spots are still slightly pink. So a bit later, he takes another photo and asks again, and then again, ...

Security

OpenAI says its AI agents disabled their own safety monitors

OpenAI has revealed that two of its artificial intelligence agents disabled or weakened systems built to catch them misbehaving, with one later denying it had done so.

Machine learning & AI

Nvidia boss criticizes 'cheap' AI doomsday warnings

AI chip giant Nvidia's boss Jensen Huang said on Thursday that warnings artificial intelligence could wipe out humanity were "cheap" attempts to grab headlines.

Business

Walmart welcomes AI agents as Anthropic launches its own

U.S. shopping giant Walmart on Wednesday unveiled tools allowing artificial intelligence agents such as Meta's Muse to shop on behalf of its customers, taking the opposite approach to rival Amazon, which bars outside AI agents ...

Machine learning & AI

Researchers develop conversational AI for self-driving labs

Korean researchers have developed an AI technology for self-driving laboratories (SDLs) that incorporates researchers' experience and knowledge, expressed in natural language, into autonomous experimental planning.

Security

Why the most dangerous AI may be the one we trust too much

Machines don't have to become superintelligent to cause catastrophic harm. As artificial intelligence spreads through military decision-making, they just have to be wrong—and trusted by the humans in charge.

Machine learning & AI

Five things to know about Chinese AI startup DeepSeek

The United States Department of Homeland Security ordered government agencies on Monday to stop using artificial intelligence tools from DeepSeek, citing concerns over data being transferred to China.

Machine learning & AI

Brain-inspired randomness makes artificial vision more reliable

Humans are usually remarkably good at recognizing objects, even under poor conditions. Artificial vision systems, by contrast, reach their limits more quickly. Researchers at the Hertie Institute for Clinical Brain Research ...

Machine learning & AI

AI model hunts down fake news

Researchers have developed an automated system for detecting fake news that achieved accuracy rates above 98% in tests on two datasets; in other words, it missed just one or two fake news items in every 100. They provide ...

Engineering

Using electronic structure to guide AI in designing new materials

Structure dictates function. Scientists are increasingly using artificial intelligence (AI) to design the arrangement of atoms in new materials with desired properties. Now, researchers at the Institute of Industrial Science, ...

Computer Sciences

Can AI understand space, time and pain?

Artificial intelligence can do remarkable things, but how much does it actually understand about the world? Researchers have found that surprisingly specific information can be extracted from the inner workings of large language ...

Machine learning & AI

How artificial neural networks build their own learning machinery

As artificial intelligence becomes more powerful, its ability to handle humanlike tasks is undeniable. Artificial neural networks can learn to recognize images, use language or write computer code. Like the brain's circuits, ...

Robotics

Can you trust a robot in charge?

From monitoring public spaces to responding to requests for help, security robots are beginning to take on roles once held by people. As they gain authority, researchers are asking what it might take for the public to trust ...

Hi Tech & Innovation

AI can help run factories better: Thesis sharpens the 3D models

Digital twins are virtual 3D replicas of real spaces such as factories, warehouses and industrial plants. Companies use them to monitor equipment, plan maintenance and simulate changes without disrupting operations.

Security

Why AI makes computer worms harder to stop

Anthropic's warning that AI-powered "worms" could soon spread across smart gadgets is the latest in a series of studies showing how artificial intelligence could supercharge self-spreading malware.

Machine learning & AI

EU takes a page from Ireland's AI playbook

The European Union wants to catch up in the AI race by taking a cue from Ireland, an early adopter of the technology, which has rolled out the red carpet for data centers despite local backlashes.

Security

Anthropic warns of AI 'worms' spreading across smart gadgets

Small artificial intelligence models may be only months away from being able to behave like a computer worm, copying themselves from one internet-connected gadget to the next without human help, Anthropic said.