All posts tagged: autonomous

Meet Claude’s Autonomous Desktop Assistant : Computer Use

Meet Claude’s Autonomous Desktop Assistant : Computer Use

Published by skeptic

Claude’s ability to control a Mac computer introduces a new dimension to AI-driven task management. Developed by Skill Leap AI, this feature enables the AI to perform actions like clicking, typing and navigating applications, mimicking human input. For instance, the Dispatch feature allows users to manage tasks remotely by connecting their smartphone to their desktop, making sure productivity even while on the move. While this technology offers convenience and flexibility, it also requires specific permissions, such as screen recording and accessibility access, raising important considerations about privacy and security. Explore how Claude can assist with automating repetitive tasks, such as file organization or data entry, while also supporting creative workflows like generating website code or summarizing documents. Gain insight into the practical requirements for using this feature, including its exclusive compatibility with macOS and the need for a paid subscription. You’ll also learn about its current limitations, such as slower task execution and challenges with ambiguous instructions, helping you evaluate whether it fits your needs effectively. How Claude Computer Use Works TL;DR Key Takeaways : …

Elon teases a van, Tesla sales tumble, and no Robotaxi in Cali

Elon teases a van, Tesla sales tumble, and no Robotaxi in Cali

Published by skeptic

On today’s van-tastic episode of Quick Charge, Elon Musk teases a people-hauling Tesla that’s 10 years late, California says there are ZERO Robotaxis on the road, and the Chinese EVs continue to outsell the brand in Europe. It’s been nearly a decade since Tesla CEO Elon Musk hinted a new people moving EV might be on its way, and while the company rolled out a twenty passenger Robovan concept in 2024, Musk insists the company’s got something coming that’s “cooler” than a minivan. By definition, then, it’s not the Robovan. Or a Cybertruck. In smarter news, we’ve got Vanair’s latest solar-powered semi truck add-on that can help slash emissions and operating costs for large commercial fleets. You can check it out here, then let us know what you think in the comments. Advertisement – scroll for more content Source Links Prefer listening to your podcasts? Audio-only versions of Quick Charge are now available on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, TuneIn, and our RSS feed for Overcast and other podcast players. New episodes of Quick Charge are (allegedly) recorded several times per week, most weeks. We’ll be …

Testing autonomous agents (Or: how I learned to stop worrying and embrace chaos)

Testing autonomous agents (Or: how I learned to stop worrying and embrace chaos)

Published by skeptic

Look, we’ve spent the last 18 months building production AI systems, and we’ll tell you what keeps us up at night — and it’s not whether the model can answer questions. That’s table stakes now. What haunts us is the mental image of an agent autonomously approving a six-figure vendor contract at 2 a.m. because someone typo’d a config file. We’ve moved past the era of “ChatGPT wrappers” (thank God), but the industry still treats autonomous agents like they’re just chatbots with API access. They’re not. When you give an AI system the ability to take actions without human confirmation, you’re crossing a fundamental threshold. You’re not building a helpful assistant anymore — you’re building something closer to an employee. And that changes everything about how we need to engineer these systems. The autonomy problem nobody talks about Here’s what’s wild: We’ve gotten really good at making models that *sound* confident. But confidence and reliability aren’t the same thing, and the gap between them is where production systems go to die. We learned this the …

Trevor Milton Is Back And Wants To Produce AI Powered “Fully Autonomous Corporate Jets”

Trevor Milton Is Back And Wants To Produce AI Powered “Fully Autonomous Corporate Jets”

Published by Jenni Sidey

Trevor Milton, founder and former CEO of the now-bankrupt Nikola, is trying to mount a “comeback story”. Through social media, interviews, and bold public claims, Milton once convinced investors that Nikola was on the verge of delivering breakthrough technology with trucks. Now he’s going to attempt the same in the aircraft business, according to a new report from the Wall Street Journal. He has reemerged in the aviation sector through his involvement with SyberJet, a company focused on developing a small business jet known as the SJ30. The aircraft itself is not new; its design dates back decades and has changed hands multiple times through bankruptcies and restructurings. SyberJet acquired the program and has since promoted plans to bring the jet into full-scale production, emphasizing its speed, range, and efficiency relative to competitors in the light jet category. Milton’s involvement has drawn attention because it places him back in a leadership context tied to capital-intensive, technology-driven manufacturing—an environment similar to the one in which he previously operated.  SyberJet’s core asset, the SJ30, is designed to fly …

Bedrock Robotics’ .75 BILLION bet on self driving construction

Bedrock Robotics’ $1.75 BILLION bet on self driving construction

Published by skeptic

Autonomous construction tech startup Bedrock Robotics has just closed on a $270 million Series B funding round that brings total investment in the self-driving roller and excavator firm to more than $350 million. (!) Everywhere you look, there is work to be done and precious few people to do it – and that’s especially true when it comes to road construction, an industry that’s been struggling to attract and keep new talent. As the average age of construction workers rises, however, fresh technology like automation and remote operation are making it easier to multiply their efforts. “The construction industry is being asked to build more than it can deliver,” explains Boris Sofman, co-founder and chief executive of Bedrock Robotics, who believes the construction industry faces growing pressure to deliver projects, despite labour shortages. “Contractors are pulled across competing priorities with the same limited workforce and equipment.” Labor shortages are, and seem likely to continue to be a huge challenge for the industry, with some estimates suggesting that the construction business in the US alone could require …

This mine put 100 autonomous electric heavy haul trucks to work

This mine put 100 autonomous electric heavy haul trucks to work

Published by skeptic

What happens when you deploy 100 massive, driverless, and fully electric heavy haul trucks at a working mine? After nearly a year of continuous operation, one mining company is already finding out. Here’s how their great experiment is going. With driverless AI powered by tech giant Huawei 5G-Advanced network, the 100 Huaneng Ruichi all-electric heavy haul trucks were deployed at Yimin’s open-pit coal mine in Inner Mongolia last May. Since then, they’ve logged thousands of hours and moved millions of tons of material in what’s being call a breakthrough in safety and productivity for the industry. “The Huaneng Ruichi trucks have set three new records for autonomous electric mining trucks,” explains Li Shuxue, chairman of Huaneng Inner Mongolia Eastern Energy. “[Including] the world’s largest payload, fastest running speed, and lowest operating temperature.” Yimin’s autonomous mine project aligns with a broader push by the Chinese government and mining industries to integrate AI and advanced connectivity into traditional operations – an approach we’ve already seen meet with great success in port environments by Hesai and Westwell. Advertisement – …

EV deals, Volvo EX30 update, and Tesla’s latest Robotaxi crash

EV deals, Volvo EX30 update, and Tesla’s latest Robotaxi crash

Published by skeptic

On today’s surprisingly affordable episode of Quick Charge we respond to America’s new, $770/mo. average car payment buy rounding up some affordable EV lease deals at less than HALF the new normal. Plus, we take a look at some new entry-level EVs from Kia and BMW, talk about the future of Volvo’s compact electric cars, and ask questions about Tesla’s lone driverless Cybercab and the company’s latest self-driving Robotaxi crash in Austin. Source Links Prefer listening to your podcasts? Audio-only versions of Quick Charge are now available on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, TuneIn, and our RSS feed for Overcast and other podcast players. New episodes of Quick Charge are (allegedly) recorded several times per week, most weeks. We’ll be posting bonus audio content from time to time as well, so be sure to follow and subscribe so you don’t miss a minute of Electrek’s high-voltage podcast series. Advertisement – scroll for more content Got news? Let us know!Drop us a line at tips@electrek.co. You can also rate us on Apple Podcasts and Spotify, or recommend us in Overcast to help more people discover the show. If you’re considering going …

Autonomous firefighting robot can drive straight into a 1,000 degree blaze

Autonomous firefighting robot can drive straight into a 1,000 degree blaze

Published by Jenni Sidey

Get the Popular Science daily newsletter💡 Breakthroughs, discoveries, and DIY tips sent six days a week. Firefighters in South Korea will soon start deploying alongside a massive, six-wheeled, self-cooling autonomous robot that could help keep them safe. Hyundai recently revealed the new, driverless ground drone, built atop a chassis initially intended for military use and looking like something out of a sci-fi film. The robot has a massive hose—in place of a munitions cannon—that can both douse fires and illuminate dark areas to help in search and rescue situations. It also has thermal imaging sensors that can see through thick smoke. Hyundai says the goal is to send the bright, red behemoth into dangerous areas ahead of firefighters to start tackling blazes and map out safe escape routes. “By tackling dangerous situations in place of people, the robot ultimately protects the lives and safety of firefighters and citizens,” Hyundai notes in a press release.  A Safer Way Home: Every one of us must return home safely | HMG’s Unmanned Firefighting Robot Firefighting is a crucial …

Maybe robots SHOULD steal some jobs: firefighting ‘bot saves lives

Maybe robots SHOULD steal some jobs: firefighting ‘bot saves lives

Published by skeptic

Hyundai announced the unimaginatively named Unmanned Firefighting Robot last week – but this life-saving robot isn’t just a futuristic concept. The first operational unit was donated and deployed at the National Fire Agency, where it hopes to prove that there are some jobs robots should take from humans. Hyundai believes its Unmanned Firefighting Robot can save human lives by being preemptively deployed to active fires and other high-risk scenes that are especially dangerous to humans due to risks of collapse, explosion, high temperatures, toxic gas, or dense, acrid smoke. The robot’s on-board AI works with remote operators to identify and assesses the scene upon its arrival, approach the fire’s source, and work to directly extinguish the blaze. By tackling dangerous situations in place of people, Hyundai’s robotic firefighter ultimately saves more lives by going into hotter, more dangerous fires sooner, and helps more first responders find their way home. To that end, Hyundai has baked a number of advanced technologies into its new robot that cover the full range of automotive ADAS we’re familiar with, but …

Nuro is testing its autonomous vehicle tech on Tokyo’s streets

Nuro is testing its autonomous vehicle tech on Tokyo’s streets

Published by skeptic

Nuro, the Silicon Valley-based startup backed by Nvidia, Uber, and SoftBank, is testing its autonomous vehicle technology in Japan. Toyota Prius vehicles equipped with Nuro’s self-driving software — and human safety operators behind the wheel as backup — began testing on public roads in Tokyo last month. The testing marks the first overseas expansion for the startup, which upended its business model two years ago. Nuro said testing in Japan introduces a number of new challenges and different driving styles and rules. For instance, vehicles drive on the left side of the road, and Tokyo’s streets have dense traffic. Road signs and lane markings are also different in Japan. The company, which opened offices in Tokyo last August, did not disclose how many test vehicles are in its fleet or when it might remove the human safety operator from the vehicles. The company did suggest, in a blog post announcing the testing in Japan, that there will be future expansions. “Our autonomous operations in Tokyo are the beginning of the compounding benefits of global deployment,” …