Nvidia and Fujitsu agree to work together on AI robots and other technology. A landmark collaboration announced in Tokyo brings together Nvidia’s leading GPU designs and Fujitsu’s supercomputing expertise to build a national AI-powered robotics infrastructure in Japan by 2030. The partnership will focus on “smart robotics and other innovations” across healthcare, manufacturing, environmental technologies and next-generation computing, aiming to address challenges such as an aging workforce and labor shortages. Although no specific projects were detailed, the two companies flagged potential joint work with robotics giant Yaskawa Electric and emphasized a “humancentric” approach to AI development. As Japan seeks to cement its leadership in global robotics, this alliance underscores the strategic role of public-private cooperation in scaling cutting-edge AI systems.
“This infrastructure, initially designed for Japan using Fujitsu’s local industry expertise, may later expand globally.”
The robots won’t take over because they couldn’t care less. This philosophical essay dismantles the myth of malevolent AIs by arguing that true “caring” requires needs—and machines simply don’t have them. Drawing on Maslow’s hierarchy and the free-energy principle from neuroscience, it shows that computers lack intrinsic drives such as self-preservation or social belonging. Even the most sophisticated AI planning programs remain “care-less”: they execute tasks without satisfaction or value, and their so-called goals are mere prompts, not genuine intentions. Through the example of PARO, a therapeutic robot seal, the essay reveals the gulf between human needs and artificial functionality, concluding that the real threat lies not in machines plotting world domination but in our misplaced anxieties about them.
“A computer’s ‘goals’, by contrast, are empty of feeling. An AI planning program, no matter how nit-picking it might be, is literally care-less.”
Levels of Autonomy for AI Agents. This long-form technical framework dissects the nuanced relationship between an agent’s autonomy—its ability to act without human oversight—and its agency—the range of tools and permissions it possesses. By defining five escalating autonomy levels (operator, collaborator, consultant, approver, observer), the authors offer a practical guide for developers to decide how much control a user should retain at each stage. The essay explores design decisions, user interface constraints and the emerging idea of AI autonomy certification, arguing that calibrated autonomy can unlock transformative benefits while managing risks in single- and multi-agent systems. This work provides a rigorous blueprint for responsibly integrating self-directed AI into real-world applications.
“An agent may have low agency if the set of tools it has access to is limited… the same agent may have high autonomy if it runs continuously in the background of a user’s application without supervision.”
Jony Ive on design, copying, and Apple’s future. In this in-depth interview for the Sunday Times, Apple’s legendary design chief reflects on the ethos behind his most iconic products and his deep belief that design is inseparable from functionality. He rails against imitation, calling design theft not only a copy of form but a theft of the countless hours of “struggle” behind each creation. Ive also offers rare glimpses of his partnership with Steve Jobs and expresses unbridled optimism about the next wave of Apple breakthroughs, insisting the company is only “at the beginning of a remarkable time” for product innovation. His words capture the blend of artistry, engineering and philosophy that drives every Apple design.
“It’s theft … what’s copied isn’t just a design, it’s thousands and thousands of hours of struggle.”
A Digital Landscape Photographer’s Introduction to Film. Veteran landscape shooter Michael Strickland recounts his transition from high-resolution digital panoramas to large-format film and the liberating constraints that followed. Frustrated by stitching errors in the field, he rediscovered photography as a meditative craft—loading film, composing upside down on the ground glass and waiting days to see the results. Film’s narrow dynamic range forced him to seek “quality light” and plan each exposure, transforming his approach to composition and editing. This thoughtful primer offers practical tips on cameras, films and techniques, while celebrating the slow, tactile process that many digital photographers overlook.
“Film is a very unique, thoughtful, and tedious process that is not for everyone. For me, it’s meditation.”