Welcome back to your daily dossier talking AI, robotics, crypto and the future of tech. 👾

In today’s edition we are tackling the following:

🍔 ABB-powered robots prep burgers in 27 seconds at new fast food concept.
💬 Google tests ads inside chatbot conversations like iAsk and Liner.
🔍 AI Mode rolls out to U.S. Search users with visual, chat-based results.
💼 Microsoft eyes partnership to host Elon Musk’s Grok AI model on Azure.
💰 Bitcoin nears $100K after ETF inflows and post-consolidation momentum.

AI

• Google AI Mode search launches in public test across U.S.

  • Google opens public access to its AI Mode in Search, offering users a chat-based, conversational search experience.

  • The new interface adds AI-generated answers, visual cards, and follow-up suggestions for deeper query exploration.

  • Labs users no longer need a waitlist to try AI Mode, now rolling out broadly to U.S. users.

• Google is reportedly showing ads in chats with some third-party AI chatbots

  • Google is testing AdSense ads inside AI chat interfaces, including tools like iAsk and Liner chatbots.

  • Ads appear mid-conversation, showing context-aware suggestions tied to user input and browsing data.

  • The pilot reflects Google's strategy to monetize AI messaging as chatbot usage becomes more mainstream.

• Microsoft may host Elon Musk’s Grok AI model on Azure

  • Microsoft plans to host Grok via Azure AI Foundry, expanding its AI stack beyond OpenAI’s models.

  • The partnership would bring Grok into enterprise tooling, developer access, and Microsoft’s internal systems.

  • The move deepens Microsoft's AI bench but risks tensions with OpenAI, its primary AI partner.

ROBOTICS

• BurgerBots opens restaurant with ABB robots preparing fast food

  • BurgerBots uses ABB’s IRB 360 and YuMi robots to prepare burgers in 27 seconds with zero human cooking.

  • The system handles burger assembly from bun to box, automating consistency and speed in every order.

  • Human staff focus on customer interaction while robots maintain efficiency in the food prep process.

• 2025 is the year of the humanoid robot factory worker

  • Robots like Digit and Figure 01 are being deployed in real factories, lifting, stacking, and performing manual labor.

  • Goldman Sachs predicts a $38B humanoid robot market by 2035, driven by AI progress and labor shortages.

  • Major manufacturers are piloting robots as support staff, bridging gaps in logistics, warehousing, and assembly.

• China’s humanoid robot walks like a human

  • EngineAI’s SE01 robot mimics human gait using reinforcement learning and advanced dynamic balance algorithms.

  • The robot can walk, run, squat, and grasp, outperforming earlier humanoid models in mobility and coordination.

  • SE01's architecture reflects China’s push toward domestic robotics leadership and industrial AI capabilities.

CRYPTO

• Bitcoin approaches $100,000 after breaking through 10-week high

  • Bitcoin surges to its highest level since February, nearing $100,000 amid renewed investor risk appetite globally.

  • The rally follows a 10-week consolidation period after January’s record highs around Trump’s second inauguration.

  • Analysts attribute momentum to ETF inflows, strong macro indicators, and broader interest in digital assets.

• Trump-linked USD1 stablecoin fuels $2B Binance investment

  • WLFS-backed USD1 stablecoin enables MGX to complete a $2 billion investment into crypto exchange Binance.

  • USD1 is pegged to the dollar and backed by Treasuries, aiming to become a global transaction standard.

  • The deal raises political and regulatory concerns due to Trump’s connection and cross-border financial implications.

• Dao5 closes $222 million funding round to shape institutional interest in crypto

  • Crypto investment firm Dao5 raises $222 million to support projects building public crypto and AI infrastructure.

  • Areas of focus include on-chain governance, stablecoin ecosystems, and sovereign-level decentralized applications.

  • Dao5 plans to deepen institutional engagement amid rising mainstream adoption and post-ETF market momentum.

CONTENT

• What’s next for AI infrastructure with Amin Vahdat

  • Google Cloud’s Amin Vahdat explores TPU innovations powering AI inference and how infrastructure drives real-time agent development.

  • 2025 is the ‘Year of Inference,’ making AI accessible to startups through speed, scalability, and cost efficiency.

  • Google’s TPU hardware and software stack enable rapid model execution for enterprise and emerging AI builders.

• Zuckerberg and Nadella discuss AI’s role in coding

  • Meta and Microsoft CEOs agree that AI is reshaping how software is written and maintained at scale.

  • Both leaders support open-source development and increased accessibility to coding tools powered by generative models.

  • Nadella reveals Microsoft engineers now rely heavily on AI to write significant portions of production code.

• At Last ft. Alex Blania and Sam Altman

  • World launched in the U.S. with Orb, Orb Mini, and World ID to verify identity across digital ecosystems.

  • Partnerships with Razer, Match, and Visa aim to integrate identity infrastructure into gaming, dating, and finance.

  • World App 4.0 and World Card expand access to privacy-first financial tools linked to biometric verification.

AND MORE…

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• Amazon CEO says 100,000 users now have Alexa+

  • Amazon’s generative AI Alexa+ has surpassed 100,000 users since launch, focused on improving conversational accuracy.

  • CEO Andy Jassy said Nova Act still struggles with reliability, though future updates will expand capabilities.

  • Alexa+ integrates third-party skills and apps, making the voice assistant more useful across smart home tasks.

• Sam Altman’s eye-scanning crypto project launches in the U.S.

  • Worldcoin expands to the U.S., offering free tokens to verified users via biometric iris-scanning orbs.

  • The platform aims to verify real humans online while advancing decentralized identity and universal income.

  • Privacy advocates remain skeptical, despite encryption promises and plans for widespread global rollout.

• Mark Zuckerberg wants Meta’s AI to create ads for you

  • Meta’s AI will auto-generate ad content, placement, and purchasing based on goals and budget input.

  • Zuckerberg says AI ads will let small businesses run campaigns without marketing teams or design expertise.

  • Critics raise concerns about content quality, brand safety, and reduced control over final ad output.