AI-powered robots

Audi is deploying AI-powered robots in its operations, according to Swedish-language reports circulating this week. The move signals the carmaker's push to automate more of its manufacturing and logistics work. The story is drawing attention in Sweden, where interest in how AI and robotics will affect industrial jobs remains high.

A technology creator has published a first-person account of spending a full day living with an AI-powered humanoid robot priced at $60,000. The piece tests how the machine handles everyday household situations, showing both what current home robots can do and where they still fall short. The video has drawn hundreds of thousands of reactions, with viewers debating whether consumer robotics is finally approaching an affordable price point.

Audi is testing new AI-powered robots designed to take over parts of the heavy and repetitive work in its car factories. The trials are part of a broader push to automate physically demanding assembly tasks, and the news is being picked up in discussions about robotics and the future of automotive manufacturing.

A South Korean lawmaker has proposed building a network of AI-powered robots along the Demilitarized Zone separating North and South Korea. The idea, reported by The Defense Post, would use automated systems to bolster surveillance and security in one of the world's most heavily fortified borders. Details of the plan, including costs and timeline, have not been disclosed.

Reports suggest AI-powered robots and smart toys could transform parenting by easing the load for exhausted mums and dads, offering entertainment, monitoring and interactive support for children. The idea is generating discussion about how much of daily parenting technology could realistically take on, and what it would mean for family life.

An AI-powered robot assistant is being introduced to help shoppers in Germany, guiding customers and assisting with retail tasks. The deployment highlights how retailers are turning to robotics and artificial intelligence to modernise the shopping experience. The story, reported by Reuters, is drawing attention as a concrete example of service robots moving from trials into everyday commercial use in Europe.

Technology companies are reportedly hiring dog walkers to help train AI-powered robot dogs, using people experienced with real canine behavior to teach the machines how to move and interact more naturally. The story, picked up by outlets including Central Oregon Daily, has drawn attention as an unusual example of everyday jobs feeding into robotics development.

Electric vehicle maker Faraday Future showcased a $90,000 AI-powered humanoid robot in New York City, marking the company's push beyond cars into robotics. The announcement is drawing attention given the company's financial struggles in the EV market and the unusually low price point compared to competing humanoid robots, raising questions about its capabilities and commercial viability.

Japan is trialling an autonomous AI-powered humanoid robot mounted on a rail truck, fitted with a chainsaw to cut down tree branches. Footage shows the metal humanoid operating the saw on its own, in what is being presented as an experiment in automating dangerous forestry and tree-maintenance work.

South Korea plans a public-sector purchase of around 1,700 AI-powered robots, announced alongside a 'robot dog job fair' where quadruped robots demonstrated tasks for military units and fire agencies. The event showcased robotic dogs being evaluated for roles such as patrol, search and rescue, and firefighting support, marking one of the larger state-backed robotics procurement pushes to date.

Shenzhen is moving embodied intelligent robots out of laboratories and into real-world settings, according to People's Daily Online. The city, a hub of China's robotics and manufacturing industry, is deploying AI-powered robots in practical applications such as services and industry. The report highlights Shenzhen's push to turn embodied AI into a commercial reality, a theme drawing wide attention in China's tech sector.

Robotics company OKA has introduced Mori, a new AI-powered robot, making its debut at CES. Details about the robot's functions and capabilities remain limited, but the unveiling adds to this year's wave of AI robotics announcements at the consumer electronics show, where companies are competing to showcase home and companion robots driven by artificial intelligence.