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Scout AI, a robotics and artificial intelligence company, has emerged from stealth with the announcement of a $15 million seed funding round and the launch of its foundation model, Fury, for defense applications. The Sunnyvale-based startup also disclosed that it has secured two contracts with the U.S. Department of Defense.

Overland AI has introduced a fully autonomous tactical ground vehicle designed for military use, called ULTRA. The vehicle integrates Overland AI’s OverDrive autonomy software and SPARK hardware, and is engineered to perform in complex, GPS-denied environments without direct operator input.

AI company Hugging Face has acquired Pollen Robotics, a French startup making the humanoid robot Reachy 2. As part of the acquisition, Hugging Face will make both the hardware and software designs of Reachy 2 open source, in addition to continuing to sell the physical robot. The company’s leadership has indicated that this approach is intended to encourage widespread experimentation and faster technological progress in robotics, drawing parallels with how open-weight AI models have accelerated developments in machine learning.

A new study published in the Journal of Science Communication (JCOM) reports that highly realistic AI-generated avatars may be more effective in fostering trust during science communication than stylized, cartoon-like avatars. Conducted by Jasmin Baake and colleagues at the Center for Advanced Internet Studies (CAIS) in Bochum, Germany, the research challenges the assumption that hyper-realistic digital avatars risk triggering the “uncanny valley” effect—a phenomenon in which near-human likenesses evoke discomfort or distrust among viewers.

South Korea has launched the K-Humanoid Alliance, a national initiative aimed at strengthening its position in humanoid robotics by 2030 through coordinated public and private sector collaboration. The launch event was held on April 10 at the Plaza Hotel in Seoul’s Jung District and was hosted by the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy. Approximately 350 representatives from academia, industry, and research institutions attended the ceremony.

NVIDIA has announced plans to manufacture its AI supercomputers entirely within the United States for the first time. The company is collaborating with manufacturing partners to establish production and testing facilities across Arizona and Texas.

Worldwide PC shipments totalled 59 million units in the first quarter of 2025, a 4.8% increase from the first quarter of 2024, according to preliminary results by Gartner. US PC shipments grew 12.6%, reaching 16 million units in the first quarter of 2025.

Researchers at the University of Tsukuba have developed a human-collaborative robot designed to support individuals with neurological conditions and age-related physical decline in performing daily activities. The robot operates within a cybernics space, a conceptual area where physical and digital environments intersect, using bioelectrical signals and gaze information to interpret user intentions and facilitate interaction.

Pudu Robotics has received the 2025 Red Dot Award for Product Design for its AI-powered robotic sweeper, the PUDU MT1. This is the company’s third Red Dot recognition, following awards in 2017 and 2023.

The 137th China Import and Export Fair (Canton Fair), scheduled to run from April 15 to May 5 in Guangzhou, will introduce a dedicated robot zone as part of its expanded thematic exhibition structure. This newly established service robot zone will be featured in the first phase of the Fair, aligned with the “Advanced Manufacturing” theme. It will present a range of robotic technologies designed for personal, domestic, and industrial applications, reflecting the increasing integration of automation across sectors.