At the end of a two-hour Magic8 Pro launch, Honor finally revealed something far stranger than a smartphone. They showed off their "Robot Phone," a concept device that blends AI, robotics, and mobile design into what it calls a "new species" of technology.

Honor described the device as one that "will integrate AI-powered multi-modal intelligence, robotic functionality, and advanced handheld imaging capabilities."

The company added that "as a new species of AI device, the Honor Robot Phone will redefine future human-machine interaction and coexistence."

The teaser video that followed showed a device straight out of a sci-fi film, something between Wall-E and BB-8, with a camera that giggles and swivels on command.

The Robot Phone is not an incremental upgrade or new model. Honor claims it represents an entirely new category of device, one that "positions Honor at the forefront of AI device innovation."

The company even described it as an "emotional companion" that "senses, adapts, and evolves autonomously like a robot, enriching its users’ lives with love, joy, and wisdom."

In the CGI video, the phone’s main feature is a gimbal-mounted camera that pops out from the rear.

The motorized arm allows it to move freely and capture photos or videos from nearly any angle. The camera can even look around when the phone is placed face down, giving the impression that it’s aware of its surroundings.

Honor’s promo depicts the Robot Phone doing everything from entertaining children and taking selfies to skydiving and gazing at the stars.

It even reacts with sound effects, a mix of "wheee, ohhhh, bleep, and coooo," that make it feel like a cross between R2-D2 and Grogu from Star Wars.

Beneath the theatrics, the Robot Phone hints at an evolution in how humans interact with AI.

The device could extend visual search features seen in products like the Ray-Ban Meta glasses or Google’s Circle to Search.

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This one bends, stretches, and slithers, just like a creature straight out of a Marvel movie. It was developed by researchers. It is a super agile robot that can shapeshift using a special electro-morphing gel, mimicking the fluidity and adaptability of the comic book anti-hero Venom.

Created by scientists at the University of Bristol and Queen Mary University of London, this soft, jelly-like humanoid gymnast showcases unprecedented flexibility in motion and form.

The breakthrough introduces an electro-morphing gel (e-MG) that enables robots to change shape and move with lifelike agility.

Unlike traditional rigid robots, the e-MG model can contort its limbs, twist its body, and even swing across surfaces.

This remarkable flexibility comes from the e-MG’s unique ability to respond to electric fields. When voltage is applied through ultralight electrodes, the gel reshapes itself, bending, stretching, or contracting based on the desired motion.

Study lead author Ciqun Xu, Research Associate at the University of Bristol School of Engineering Mathematics and Technology, said: "Soft robotics is an exciting and rapidly advancing field, both here in Bristol and worldwide. Our e-MG robot, which resembles something straight out of science fiction, marks an exciting breakthrough that paves the way for further progress in soft robotics."

Soft robots have long promised a gentler, more adaptable approach to automation, but their performance has often been hampered by slow response times and limited morphing capabilities.

This contrasts with previous magnetic micro robots requiring heavy, bulky and expensive electromagnets.

By constructing the e-MG robot from a soft polymer composite incorporating nanocrystalline conductors, it can be manipulated remotely by electric fields with a high level of control and body morphing.

The e-MG robot changes that. Its electroactive gel structure allows for rapid, multidirectional motion without bulky external magnets or mechanical components.

In tests, the robot performed large-scale deformations and complex movements beyond the limits of current designs. It maintained consistent performance across 10,000 actuation cycles, proving both its endurance and stability.

The e-MG’s versatility could make it a valuable addition across industries, including medical wearables, rescue robotics, and deep-space exploration.

The geometry of an e-MG robot can be tailored to specific application scenarios.

Its geometry can be tailored for specific scenarios, and in one demonstration, the humanoid gymnast robot used its flexible limbs to swing along a ceiling for locomotion.

Researchers say the material can even be integrated with rigid robotic parts to create hybrid machines suited for complex, high-stress environments.

Ciqun added, "The potential applications of soft robotics are as broad as they are exciting. From space exploration to wearable devices and healthcare, soft robotics can push the boundaries of what is possible."

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Many people thought that AI can only help them write, create content, and organize information. However, the tech can do more than that. They can help protect your wallet.

AI is being utilized by banks nationwide to help detect potentially fraudulent transactions. Experts have said the technology’s capacity for pattern recognition makes it ideal for spotting unusual activity.

"Banks have done this for some time with human resources. They get alerts, they have to look at every single one. Many of them are normal, so that’s wasting valuable research," said Abrigo Compliance Director, Terri Luttrell. "Where an AI applied technique will say, 'okay, these are all normal. I can see this is the pattern. No human intervention is needed.'"

Luttrell said for more complex issues, transactions can be flagged for further analysis. In these instances, she says the human eye for detail can be necessary. Experts have said AI is proving to be a valuable resource in combatting fraud efforts from scammers utilizing AI themselves. They said the financial landscape has become an arms race in terms of outmaneuvering AI-powered fraud attempts.

"There’s AI deepfakes where they will impersonate a family member and they will have some sort of crisis situation where you need to send money right away," said Fort Knox Bank Founder, Erik Beguin. "The scams run the gamut. They’re coming in via phone calls, via emails, every possible way."

While modern tech has been used in some instances to gain access to sensitive information, that same tech is being utilized to help keep consumers’ finances safe.

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There is an Australian electricity and gas provider that currently uses autonomous robots at its 250-megawatt solar farm, where nearly 500,000 panels are being installed ahead of schedule with the help of AI-powered machines.

The robots, designed to speed construction and improve safety, are being trialed at ENGIE’s photovoltaic Goorambat East Solar Farm. The site is located less than a mile south-east of the Goorambat township in Victoria.

"It will have a generating capacity of up to 250 MW, which is enough to power up to 105,000 average Victorian homes," Justin Webb, ENGIE site representative said.

Developed by US-based Luminous Robotics, the LUMI S4 fleet uses AI-driven pick-and-place technology to autonomously lift and position solar modules onto racking structures.

Human crews then complete the securing process, cutting down on repetitive manual labor while increasing efficiency and reducing injury risks.

To develop the robots, Luminous Robotics secured USD 4.9 million in funding from the Australian Renewable Energy Agency (ARENA). The funds were part of its USD 10 million Solar ScaleUp Challenge.

The machines autonomously lifted and placed panels onto racking structures, at the Goorambat East site, located near the city of Benalla, approximately 130 miles northeast of Melbourne.

This division of labor reportedly reduces one of the most physically demanding aspects of solar farm construction. It also improves both safety and efficiency while allowing the human workforce to focus on skilled tasks.

The system, first used for pilings and now for panels, marks Luminous’ debut of its LUMI robots outside the US, showcasing the future of solar farm construction.

"The intended higher productivity of these autonomous systems will reduce the cost of renewable energy projects and enable projects to be built in less time – which will bring down energy costs for consumers and potentially allow more solar farms to be built," Webb continued.

The solar farm will have a capacity of up to 250 MW once complete. It will supply electricity to more than 100,000 average homes. Commissioning has already begun, with first energization expected before the end of October 2025 and full operation targeted for mid-2026.

Webb revealed that the robots require skilled technicians to help upskill the renewable workforce and boost productivity. He noted they could also benefit solar projects in remote, harsh regions where conditions are unsafe for workers.

"In the longer term, with continued development, robots like these will also enable a reduction in health and safety related risks from construction projects, for example reducing the manual handling of heavy solar panels," he explained.

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Using his AI-related activities, federal prosecutors was able to gather evidence against a man accused of starting the Palisades Fire, one of Los Angeles’ most destructive wildfires.

The January blaze killed 12 people, destroyed nearly 7,000 structures, and burned over 23,000 acres before being contained on 31 January.

Authorities allege Jonathan Rinderknecht, 29, of Florida, set off a smaller blaze known as the Lachman Fire on New Year’s Day 2025 in Pacific Palisades. The fire smoldered for a week before reigniting under heavy winds and growing into the Palisades Fire.

He was arrested last 7 October near his home and charged with destruction of property by means of fire, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Central District of California.

Court documents show investigators reviewed Rinderknecht’s ChatGPT activity and AI-generated imagery from months before the fire.

On 11 July 2024, he allegedly asked the chatbot to produce a detailed image showing a burning forest, people fleeing in poverty, and wealthy figures watching from behind a wall marked with a dollar sign. The prompt read:

"A dystopian painting divided into distinct parts that blend together seamlessly. On the far left, there is a burning forest. Next to it, a crowd of people is running away from the fire, leading to the middle. In the middle, hundreds of thousands of people in poverty are trying to get past a gigantic gate with a big dollar sign on it. On the other side of the gate and the entire wall is a conglomerate of the richest people. They are chilling, watching the world burn down, and watching the people struggle. They are laughing, enjoying themselves, and dancing."

Investigators said the resulting image had a "cartoony vibe" common to AI-generated art at the time.

In another ChatGPT exchange on 1 November 2024, prosecutors allege Rinderknecht wrote, "I literally burnt the Bible that I had. It felt amazing. I felt so liberated." Officials did not claim these conversations directly led to the fire but included them in the criminal complaint as evidence of his mindset.

Authorities said Rinderknecht, who previously lived in Pacific Palisades, had been working as an Uber driver on New Year’s Eve before heading toward the Skull Rock Trailhead.

Two passengers he picked up that night told investigators he appeared "agitated and angry," according to the complaint.

After his final drop-off, he allegedly walked up the trail, took photos and videos from the hilltop, and at 12:12 am, sensors detected a fire in the same area.

He tried several times to call 911 but couldn’t connect due to poor reception. When he finally reached an operator, the fire had already been reported by a nearby resident.

Authorities said he then left the scene but later followed fire trucks and recorded video of firefighters responding.

Uber confirmed that Rinderknecht was immediately removed from its platform once the company learned of his involvement and is cooperating with authorities.

He remains in custody in Florida and will be extradited to California to face prosecution.

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Apple is not actively declaring it, but they quietly orchestrating its most significant leadership transition in more than a decade, and at the center of succession planning sits John Ternus, the company’s 50-year-old senior vice president of hardware engineering.

As Tim Cook approaches his 65th birthday next month, industry observers and Apple insiders increasingly view Ternus as the most likely candidate to inherit the reins of one of the world’s most valuable technology companies, according to a new report from Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman, who has reported accurately on Apple for years thanks to sources deep within the company.

The speculation intensified after Apple’s chief operating officer Jeff Williams, once considered Cook’s natural successor, stepped down from operational responsibilities in July and will leave the company by year’s end. With Williams out of contention, Gurman says Ternus has emerged as "the most likely heir apparent."

Ternus brings a combination of technical expertise and institutional knowledge to the succession conversation. According to his LinkedIn profile, the mechanical engineer joined Apple’s product design team in 2001 and has overseen hardware engineering for virtually every major product in the company’s current portfolio.

His fingerprints are on every generation of iPad, the latest iPhone lineup, and AirPods. He played a crucial role in the Mac’s transition to Apple Silicon. He also had a prominent role during Apple’s most recent keynotes, introducing products like the new iPhone Air.

The timing of Ternus’s increased visibility isn’t coincidental. Apple’s public relations teams have begun "putting the spotlight on Ternus," according to Gurman, signaling the company may be preparing for a gradual transition of power. Beyond product launches, Ternus has taken on responsibilities that extend well beyond traditional hardware engineering, influencing product road maps, features, and strategic decisions typically reserved for more senior executives.

At 50, Ternus mirrors Cook’s age when he became CEO in 2011, positioning him for potentially a decade or more of leadership. This longevity factor appeals to Apple’s board of directors, who prefer stability in leadership transitions. His engineering background also matches where Apple is going as a company, exploring emerging technologies like artificial intelligence and mixed reality.

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