Robotics & Automation News

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What is a robot? From mechanical helpers to intelligent agents

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This is the first in a series of articles in which we ask – and try and answer – the most frequently asked questions in robotics

Ask anyone what a robot is, and you’ll likely get a confident answer: “A machine that walks and talks like a human.”

Some people may offer something slightly more technical – perhaps “a programmable machine that can carry out tasks automatically”.

Both are right, to a point. But as we dig deeper, we find that the question “What is a robot?” quickly becomes more complicated than it first appears. [Read more…] about What is a robot? From mechanical helpers to intelligent agents

Bosch plans to invest €2.5 billion into AI agent technology over the next two years

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Bosch, one of the world’s largest industrial conglomerates, says it “continues to set the pace” in the application and development of artificial intelligence (AI): by the end of 2027, the technology company will invest more than €2.5 billion in this field.

AI is an innovation booster and growth driver for Bosch products and services. It makes automated driving safer, reliably checks quality in manufacturing, and makes everyday life easier for consumers at work, in their free time, and at home.

“The breakthroughs in AI make it possible to open up completely new chapters in technology, accelerate the development of innovations, and turn these into business,” says Stefan Hartung, chairman of the Bosch board of management. [Read more…] about Bosch plans to invest €2.5 billion into AI agent technology over the next two years

Borouge to test AI-powered autonomous petrochemicals operations in UAE

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Borouge, a petrochemicals company that provides polyolefins solutions, is collaborating with Honeywell to conduct a proof of concept for AI-powered autonomous operations, which has the potential to “revolutionise” Borouge’s UAE plant operations.

The collaboration between Borouge and Honeywell is set to deliver the petrochemical industry’s first AI-driven control room designed for full-scale, real-time operation, establishing a new standard for the future of AI in petrochemicals.

Hazeem Sultan Al Suwaidi, CEO of Borouge, says: “Borouge’s AI, Digitalisation, and Technology (AIDT) transformation programme is setting new standards in operations, innovation and business performance. [Read more…] about Borouge to test AI-powered autonomous petrochemicals operations in UAE

SuperDial raises $15 million to automate healthcare’s ‘endless’ administrative phone calls

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As AI agents reshape work across industries, SuperDial is targeting one of healthcare’s most expensive and invisible burdens: administrative phone calls, which the company characterizes as “endless”.

SuperDial has raised $15 million in new funding to scale its voice AI platform, which automates “high-friction” insurance calls that cost provider organizations and billing companies “billions of dollars every year”.

The debt and equity series A round was led by SignalFire, with participation from Slow Ventures, BoxGroup, and Scrub Capital. It includes $3 million in venture debt for SuperDial to invest in R&D and go-to-market initiatives. [Read more…] about SuperDial raises $15 million to automate healthcare’s ‘endless’ administrative phone calls

Agentic AI startup Landbase raises $30 million in Series A funding

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Landbase, an agentic AI company that provides “go-to-market” (GTM – product launch) software to businesses, has raised $30 million in Series A funding.

The round was co-led by Sound Ventures – the AI-focused fund co-founded by Ashton Kutcher and Guy Oseary – and returning investor Picus Capital.

The raise also included strong participation from other existing backers, including 8VC, A*, Firstminute Capital and TheGP, underscoring continued conviction in Landbase’s growth and mission.

The new funding will support Landbase’s continued investment in GTM-1 Omni, its proprietary domain-specific AI model, and accelerate its mission to make go-to-market (GTM) faster, cheaper and better for every B2B business. [Read more…] about Agentic AI startup Landbase raises $30 million in Series A funding

What are AI agents and what do they do?

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Artificial intelligence is no longer a futuristic fantasy; it’s a present-day reality, increasingly being woven into the fabric of our lives. 

But beyond the general understanding of AI as systems that can learn and make decisions, a more dynamic and autonomous form is rapidly emerging: AI agents.

These aren’t just passive algorithms; they are active participants, designed to perceive their environment, make decisions, and take actions to achieve specific goals, often acting with a significant degree of autonomy on behalf of a user, an organization, or another system. [Read more…] about What are AI agents and what do they do?