A new robot comes to life

Good morning. Tuesdays are for tasty treats and sudden twists! We’ve got it all cooked up for you today. 😃

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FIGURE BRINGS A NEW ROBOT TO LIFE 🦾

Never share your food with a robot. They always take megabytes. 🍔

What’s new? Silicon Valley startup Figure has introduced Helix, a new AI model designed to improve how humanoid robots interact with their surroundings.

What can Helix do? Helix is a generalist Vision-Language-Action (VLA) model that unifies perception, language understanding, and learned control to overcome multiple longstanding challenges in robotics. Unlike earlier models, Helix allows robots to pick up objects, collaborate with other robots, and control their upper bodies smoothly—without requiring extensive training. Helix-powered robots can handle everyday household tasks, such as putting away groceries, as seen in a recent demo (above). This makes them a perfect candidate to eventually serve as household assistants.

Why is this significant? The launch comes shortly after Figure ended a collaboration with OpenAI. Company founder Brett Adcock announced that Figure had made a major AI breakthrough internally, leading to the decision to develop its own technology. However, Figure faces stiff competition, with companies like Meta, Tesla, and Boston Dynamics also investing in humanoid robotics. The race is alive and well to see who will be the first to bring affordable and useful robots into homes.

SENATE PROPOSES 20-YEAR PRISON SENTENCE FOR USING DEEPSEEK 😳

Q: How do inmates call each other?

A: On their cell phones, duh! 📞

What’s up? A new bill introduced by Senator Josh Hawley (R-MO) aims to ban the use of Chinese AI technologies, including DeepSeek, in the United States. If passed, individuals could face up to 20 years in prison and fines of $1 million, while companies could be penalized up to $100 million.

Want the details? The bill, described as one of the most aggressive AI-related legislative moves yet, reflects growing concerns over China’s advancements in AI. DeepSeek has gained attention for its efficiency, reportedly outperforming American models like ChatGPT and Gemini for a much lower cost. Lawmakers fear that its success could undermine U.S. investments in AI and pose national security risks, particularly in military and surveillance applications. While supporters argue that restricting Chinese AI is crucial for security, critics see the bill as an attempt to stifle healthy competition and global tech advancements. The proposal has sparked debate about balancing technological leadership with economic and geopolitical tensions, leaving its future uncertain. Nonetheless, the U.S. Navy, the Pentagon, and five states (NY, TX, VA, GA, KS) have already banned DeepSeek.

CAN AI SOLVE SUPPLY CHAIN PROBLEMS? ⛓️

Maybe AI will slowly solve all of the world’s biggest issues. 🤷‍♂️

What’s new? Flexport, a leading freight forwarding and logistics company, has announced a major product rollout powered by “Flexport Intelligence.”

Want the details? Among the 20+ new AI products launching, Flexport Intelligence will now allow businesses to track shipments using natural language, and the new Control Tower will provide real-time oversight of logistics networks—even for freight not handled by Flexport. The company is also cautiously introducing AI-powered voice agents to assist truckers and warehouses with basic tasks. Despite these AI integrations, CEO Ryan Petersen insists that AI won’t replace human workers but will rather help them perform their jobs more optimally.

TWITTER (X) TUESDAY 🐦

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