The Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) in New York City has partnered with Google Public Sector on a pilot program designed to detect track defects before they cause significant disruptions. Using Google Pixel smartphones retrofitted onto subway cars, the system captured millions of sensor readings, GPS locations, and hours of audio to identify potential problems. The project aimed to improve the efficiency of the MTA’s response to track issues, potentially saving time and money while reducing delays for passengers.
The AI-powered program, called TrackInspect, analyses the sounds and vibrations from the subway to pinpoint areas that could signal defects, such as loose rails or worn joints. Data collected during the pilot, which ran from September 2024 to January 2025, showed that the AI system successfully identified 92% of defect locations found by human inspectors. The system was trained using feedback from MTA inspectors, helping refine its ability to predict track issues.
While the pilot was considered a success, the future of the program remains uncertain due to financial concerns at the MTA. Despite this, the success of the project has sparked interest from other transit systems looking to adopt similar AI-driven technologies to improve infrastructure maintenance and reduce delays. The MTA is now exploring other technological partnerships to enhance its track monitoring and maintenance efforts.
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Nagasaki University in southwestern Japan, in collaboration with a local systems development company, has unveiled a new AI program aimed at enhancing medical student training.
The innovative program allows students to practice interviews with virtual patients on a screen, addressing the growing difficulty of securing simulated patients for training, especially in regional areas facing population declines.
In a demonstration earlier this month, an AI-powered virtual patient exhibited symptoms such as fever and cough, responding appropriately to questions from a medical student.
Scheduled for introduction by March 2026, the technology will allow students to interact with virtual patients of different ages, genders, and symptoms, enhancing their learning experience.
The university plans to enhance the program with scoring and feedback functions to make the training more efficient and improve the quality of learning.
Shinya Kawashiri, an associate professor at the university’s School of Medicine, expressed hope that the system would lead to more effective study methods.
Toru Kobayashi, a professor at the university’s School of Information and Data Sciences, highlighted the program as a groundbreaking initiative in Japan’s medical education landscape.
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China’s top universities are set to expand undergraduate enrolment to develop talent in key strategic fields, particularly AI.
The move follows the rapid rise of AI startup DeepSeek, which has drawn global attention for producing advanced AI models at a fraction of the usual cost.
The company’s success, largely driven by researchers from elite institutions in China, is seen as a major step in Beijing’s efforts to boost its homegrown STEM workforce.
Peking University announced it would add 150 undergraduate spots in 2025 to focus on national strategic needs, particularly in information science, engineering, and clinical medicine.
Renmin University will expand enrolment by over 100 places, aiming to foster innovation in AI. Meanwhile, Shanghai Jiao Tong University plans to add 150 spots dedicated to emerging technologies such as integrated circuits, biomedicine, and new energy.
This expansion aligns with China’s broader strategy to strengthen its education system and technological capabilities. In January, the government introduced a national action plan to enhance education efficiency and innovation by 2035.
Additionally, authorities plan to introduce AI education in primary and secondary schools to nurture digital skills and scientific curiosity from an early age.
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Investors are moving away from semiconductor stocks and turning their focus to software companies as the AI investment landscape evolves.
A surge in AI chip demand drove record growth for semiconductor firms in 2024, but new competition and trade restrictions have dampened enthusiasm. The emergence of China‘s DeepSeek, offering lower-cost AI models, has further pressured chip stocks, leading investors to seek new opportunities in software.
The Philadelphia Semiconductor Index has fallen 5.6% this year, with Nvidia dropping nearly 13%, while software firms such as Atlassian, CrowdStrike, and Palantir have gained between 7% and 19%.
Investment flows reflect the shift, with software-focused exchange-traded funds seeing significant inflows, while semiconductor ETFs have recorded large outflows. Analysts see the trend as a natural progression, with AI technology increasingly monetised through software applications rather than hardware.
Morgan Stanley and other investment firms now favour software firms such as Palantir, Microsoft, and Oracle. While some software companies have yet to see AI-related revenue growth reflected in their financials, analysts predict gains by 2026.
High valuations remain a concern, but investors are betting on the long-term need for AI applications rather than additional hardware.
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Chinese AI company iFlyTek is expanding its European operations as trade tensions with the US continue to escalate.
Vice President Vincent Zhan stated that North America remains the firm’s largest market outside China, but new tariffs introduced by United States President Donald Trump have made diversification a priority. The company is looking to reduce supply chain risks while strengthening its presence in Europe.
iFlyTek, known for its voice recognition technology, currently operates in France and Hungary and is planning to open a Paris office soon.
Future expansion targets include Spain and Italy, where the company is assessing partnerships. The firm unveiled a new tablet at the Mobile World Congress in Barcelona, highlighting its commitment to the European market.
The company has faced US restrictions since being placed on a trade blacklist in 2019, limiting access to American-made components such as Nvidia’s AI chips. In response, iFlyTek has turned to domestic alternatives, using Huawei chips and integrating AI models from Chinese start-ups like DeepSeek.
Despite these challenges, Zhan expressed confidence in China‘s growing AI chip industry, which is helping firms like iFlyTek stay competitive.
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OpenAI’s ChatGPT has experienced a surge in growth, reaching 400 million weekly active users by February 2025, according to a report from venture capital firm Andreessen Horowitz.
The AI chatbot, which took nine months to grow from 100 million to 200 million users in 2024, has now doubled its numbers in under six months. New AI model releases and enhanced functionality, such as GPT-4o’s multimodal capabilities and Advanced Voice Mode, have contributed to this accelerated adoption.
Mobile usage has played a crucial role in sustaining ChatGPT’s momentum, with mobile users growing consistently between 5% and 15% each month over the past year.
Of the 400 million weekly active users, 175 million now access ChatGPT via mobile devices. Despite growing competition, OpenAI’s chatbot remains the leading AI app in terms of unique monthly visits on the web and active users on mobile, according to market intelligence provider Similarweb.
Rival AI app DeepSeek has emerged as a strong competitor, quickly capturing 15% of ChatGPT’s mobile user base and ranking No. 2 globally within 10 days of launch. However, while DeepSeek has seen higher engagement than other competitors like Perplexity and Claude, it still lags behind ChatGPT overall.
The report also highlights AI developer tools, revenue trends, and the top generative AI apps across mobile and web.
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Taco Bell is ramping up its use of AI as part of a broader $1 billion investment by parent company Yum Brands in digital and technology.
At a recent investor event in New York, executives showcased the company’s ‘Byte by Yum’ AI tools, which aim to improve labour management and inventory tracking. Taco Bell’s Chief Digital and Technology Officer, Dane Mathews, said AI is already being used to streamline operations without reducing labour costs.
Around 500 Taco Bell locations in the United States now use AI-driven voice technology to handle drive-through orders, a significant increase from 100 locations in mid-2024.
During the investor event, executives presented a video skit demonstrating how AI could assist managers by suggesting staffing adjustments and optimising inventory. Analysts found the presentation both innovative and slightly unsettling, with Yum suggesting AI would help free up employees for other tasks rather than replace them.
Fast food chains are increasingly adopting AI to modernise operations, with companies like McDonald’s and Chipotle also investing in automation and digital tools. While Yum’s AI technology is currently used in nearly 25,000 of its 61,000 global restaurants, executives acknowledged there is still a long road ahead.
Analysts believe Yum may eventually commercialise its AI software beyond its own restaurant network. Taco Bell’s AI-driven strategy comes as the chain projects an 8% rise in same-store sales for the current quarter.
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Foxconn, the Taiwanese electronics giant best known for assembling Apple’s iPhones, has taken a big step into the AI arena by launching its large language model, ‘FoxBrain.’ Built on Meta’s Llama 3.1 architecture, FoxBrain is optimised explicitly for traditional Chinese and Taiwanese language use, marking a milestone as Taiwan’s first AI language model.
Developed swiftly over four weeks using 120 of Nvidia’s powerful H100 graphics processors, FoxBrain is positioned as a high-performing AI model, particularly strong in data analysis, problem-solving, code generation, and decision-making tasks. Foxconn admitted that while FoxBrain slightly trails China’s DeepSeek model, it nonetheless approaches global benchmarks and boasts capabilities well-suited for complex reasoning tasks.
The company initially intends FoxBrain to streamline internal operations, mainly focusing on enhancing manufacturing processes, improving supply chain management, and fostering smarter decision-making. Foxconn also aims to collaborate with technology partners, making its AI findings publicly accessible through open-source channels to encourage broader adoption and innovation across industries.
Nvidia was pivotal in FoxBrain’s development, providing infrastructure and expertise through Taiwan’s most powerful supercomputer, ‘Taipei-1,’ in Kaohsiung. Foxconn is set to unveil more details about FoxBrain at Nvidia’s GTC developer conference later this month, highlighting its ambition to become a leader in hardware manufacturing and AI-driven technologies.
China is stepping up the use of AI and big data in elderly and social care as it seeks to address economic challenges posed by a shrinking workforce and an ageing population.
Civil affairs minister Lu Zhiyuan announced the initiative at the ‘Two Sessions’ political gathering, highlighting efforts to make services more accessible and efficient.
The country’s population has declined for a third consecutive year, with over 310 million people now aged 60 and above.
Officials are increasingly turning to technology to drive future growth. Local governments have moved swiftly to integrate AI into public services, with DeepSeek‘s chatbot gaining traction since its latest version was released in January.
Despite restrictions on AI chip sales imposed by the United States, DeepSeek’s cost-effective model has outperformed several Western competitors, reinforcing China’s position in AI development.
President Xi Jinping has reaffirmed the government’s support for AI, recently meeting with leaders from top technology firms, including DeepSeek, Tencent, Huawei and Xiaomi.
The push for AI adoption in social welfare services reflects a broader strategy to maintain economic stability and innovation in the face of demographic challenges.
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The United States Department of Labor is investigating Scale AI, a data labeling startup backed by Nvidia, Amazon, and Meta, for its compliance with fair pay and working conditions under the Fair Labor Standards Act.
The inquiry began nearly a year ago during Joe Biden’s presidency, with officials examining whether the company meets federal labour regulations. Scale AI has been cooperating with the department to clarify its business practices and the evolving nature of the AI sector.
Founded in 2016, Scale AI plays a crucial role in training advanced AI models by providing accurately labeled data. The company also operates a platform where researchers exchange AI-related insights, with contributors spanning over 9,000 locations worldwide.
In response to the investigation, a company spokesperson stated that the majority of payments to contributors are made on time, with 90% of payment-related inquiries resolved within three days.
Valued at $14 billion following a late-stage funding round last year, Scale AI serves major clients such as OpenAI, Cohere, Microsoft, and Morgan Stanley.
The company insists that contributor feedback is overwhelmingly positive and maintains that it prioritises fair pay and support for its workforce.
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