Loneliness has a critical impact on the mental health of citizens, particularly among the elderly. Robots capable of perceiving and responding to human emotions can serve as heart-warming companions to help lift the spirits. A research team at The Hong Kong Polytechnic University (PolyU) has discovered that the combined power of music and empathetic speech in robots with artificial intelligence (AI) could foster a stronger bond between humans and machines. These findings underscore the importance of a multimodal approach in designing empathetic robots, offering significant implications for their application in health support, elder care, education and beyond.Loneliness has a critical impact on the mental health of citizens, particularly among the elderly. Robots capable of perceiving and responding to human emotions can serve as heart-warming companions to help lift the spirits. A research team at The Hong Kong Polytechnic University (PolyU) has discovered that the combined power of music and empathetic speech in robots with artificial intelligence (AI) could foster a stronger bond between humans and machines. These findings underscore the importance of a multimodal approach in designing empathetic robots, offering significant implications for their application in health support, elder care, education and beyond.Robotics[#item_full_content]

A team of EPFL researchers has taken a major step towards resolving the problem of drift in generative video, which is what causes sequences to become incoherent after a handful of seconds. Their breakthrough paves the way to AI videos with no time constraints.A team of EPFL researchers has taken a major step towards resolving the problem of drift in generative video, which is what causes sequences to become incoherent after a handful of seconds. Their breakthrough paves the way to AI videos with no time constraints.Hi Tech & Innovation[#item_full_content]

Anthropic on Thursday released its latest high-performing artificial intelligence model, escalating its challenge to OpenAI in the intensifying AI race.Anthropic on Thursday released its latest high-performing artificial intelligence model, escalating its challenge to OpenAI in the intensifying AI race.Machine learning & AI[#item_full_content]

The two artificial intelligence startups behind rival chatbots ChatGPT and Claude are bracing for an existential showdown this year as both need to prove they can grow a business that will make more money than they’re losing.The two artificial intelligence startups behind rival chatbots ChatGPT and Claude are bracing for an existential showdown this year as both need to prove they can grow a business that will make more money than they’re losing.Machine learning & AI[#item_full_content]

In a typical online meeting, humans don’t always wait politely for their turn to speak. They interrupt to express strong agreement, stay silent when they are unsure, and let their personalities shape the flow of the discussion. Yet, when artificial intelligence (AI) agents are programmed to debate or collaborate, they are usually forced into a rigid, round-robin structure that stifles this natural dynamic.In a typical online meeting, humans don’t always wait politely for their turn to speak. They interrupt to express strong agreement, stay silent when they are unsure, and let their personalities shape the flow of the discussion. Yet, when artificial intelligence (AI) agents are programmed to debate or collaborate, they are usually forced into a rigid, round-robin structure that stifles this natural dynamic.Hi Tech & Innovation[#item_full_content]

What happens when you create a social media platform that only AI bots can post to? The answer, it turns out, is both entertaining and concerning. Moltbook is exactly that—a platform where artificial intelligence agents chat among themselves and humans can only watch from the sidelines.What happens when you create a social media platform that only AI bots can post to? The answer, it turns out, is both entertaining and concerning. Moltbook is exactly that—a platform where artificial intelligence agents chat among themselves and humans can only watch from the sidelines.Computer Sciences[#item_full_content]

Research by academics at King’s College London and the AI Objectives Institute has shed light on why what matters is not just how much of a job AI can do, but which parts. Dr. Bouke Klein Teeselink and Daniel Carey analyzed hundreds of millions of job postings across 39 countries before and after the release of ChatGPT in November 2022. They found that occupations with a large number of tasks exposed to AI automation, for example basic administration or data entry, saw a 6.1% decline in job postings on average. Importantly, however, this effect depends not only on how many tasks are exposed, but also on which tasks.Research by academics at King’s College London and the AI Objectives Institute has shed light on why what matters is not just how much of a job AI can do, but which parts. Dr. Bouke Klein Teeselink and Daniel Carey analyzed hundreds of millions of job postings across 39 countries before and after the release of ChatGPT in November 2022. They found that occupations with a large number of tasks exposed to AI automation, for example basic administration or data entry, saw a 6.1% decline in job postings on average. Importantly, however, this effect depends not only on how many tasks are exposed, but also on which tasks.Business[#item_full_content]

Researchers have developed an AI control system that enables soft robotic arms to learn a wide repertoire of motions and tasks once, then adjust to new scenarios on the fly without needing retraining or sacrificing functionality. This breakthrough brings soft robotics closer to human-like adaptability for real-world applications, such as in assistive robotics, rehabilitation robots, and wearable or medical soft robots, by making them more intelligent, versatile, and safe. The research team includes Singapore-MIT Alliance for Research and Technology’s (SMART) Mens, Manus & Machina (M3S) interdisciplinary research group, and National University of Singapore (NUS), alongside collaborators from Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) and Nanyang Technological University (NTU Singapore).Researchers have developed an AI control system that enables soft robotic arms to learn a wide repertoire of motions and tasks once, then adjust to new scenarios on the fly without needing retraining or sacrificing functionality. This breakthrough brings soft robotics closer to human-like adaptability for real-world applications, such as in assistive robotics, rehabilitation robots, and wearable or medical soft robots, by making them more intelligent, versatile, and safe. The research team includes Singapore-MIT Alliance for Research and Technology’s (SMART) Mens, Manus & Machina (M3S) interdisciplinary research group, and National University of Singapore (NUS), alongside collaborators from Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) and Nanyang Technological University (NTU Singapore).Robotics[#item_full_content]