Industry Briefing
A single destination for timely, editor-curated robotics news from around the world.
The Last Millimeter: Physical Intelligence Unveils RL Tokens for Hyper-Fast Precision
Physical Intelligence has unveiled a groundbreaking innovation, the RL Tokens (RLT), designed to enhance robotic capabilities in performing intricate tasks such as screwdriving and zip-tying. This advanced method enables robots to learn these skills in as little as 15 minutes, with the potential to surpass human efficiency in speed. The introduction of RLT marks a significant advancement in robotics, aiming to improve automation processes across various industries. By leveraging cutting-edge technology, Physical Intelligence is addressing the growing demand for faster and more precise robotic operations, positioning itself at the forefront of the robotics field.
US Physical Intelligence RL
ByteDance's Doubao Crosses Production-Grade Threshold with 180 Trillion Daily Tokens
On June 23, ByteDance unveiled its latest flagship large language model, Doubao-Seed-2.1 Pro, which significantly enhances its capabilities by increasing daily token calls to unprecedented levels. This launch marks a strategic move by the tech giant to strengthen its position in the competitive AI landscape. The Doubao 2.1 Pro aims to provide more efficient and sophisticated language processing, catering to a growing demand for advanced AI solutions across various industries. By leveraging cutting-edge technology and extensive data training, ByteDance seeks to meet the evolving needs of users and businesses alike, further establishing its influence in the AI sector.
AI
Pakistan gives foreign banks an edge in shift to Islamic finance
FinancePakistan gives foreign banks an edge in shift to Islamic financeDomestic lenders required to convert to sharia-compliant model from 2028One currency, two banking systems. Pakistan's banks must all offer sharia-compliant services from 2028, but foreign banks will be able to continue offering non-Islamic services alongside -- giving them a possible advantage. © ReutersADNAN AAMIRJuly 7, 2026 14:31 JSTISLAMABAD -- In the run-up to its banking reform toward Islamic banking, the Pakistani government has decided to require domestically owned banks to operate under a fully sharia-compliant model from 2028 to eliminate interest-based finance.Read NextEnergyPakistan approves final link in 1,600-km national oil pipelineFinanceBangladesh bets $3.2bn to avert a banking crisis but reforms elusiveBusiness trendsPakistani gig workers' exports to hit record high but AI threats loomCommoditiesIndian families scale back on gold for weddings as prices hover near highsEnergyBangladesh power cuts deepen as government struggles to pay billsFood & BeverageIndia's sugar industry likely to exit exports and exist for ethanolDefensePakistan unfazed by Afghan-Russian military pact, say officialsTradeChinese firms brace for new EU rules as trade deficit tops $1bn a dayInternational relationsBangladesh courts China to drive infrastructure and trade pushBusiness dealsPakistan offers up 3 state-owned power distributors in privatization pushLatest on FinanceFinanceSingapore's Temasek to raise AI exposure 2.5-fold over 5 yearsFinanceJapan brokerages set sights on US mega-IPOs after strong SpaceX debutFinanceJapan's blockchain-based security tokens to open to foreign investorsSponsored ContentAbout Sponsored ContentThis content was commissioned by Nikkei's Global Business Bureau.
Tencent launches Hunyuan Hy3, integrates model across multiple products
On Monday, Tencent launched Hunyuan Hy3, a new reasoning model that integrates both fast and slow thinking. Built on a Mixture of Experts (MoE) architecture, Hy3 features 295 billion total parameters with 21 billion activated parameters and supports a context window of up to 256K tokens. Hy3 has been integrated into several Tencent products and […]
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NVIDIA Unlocks AI Compute at Scale, Inviting Capital Partners to Power the AI Infrastructure Buildout
As artificial intelligence transitions from model development to production inference, the demand for computing power is rapidly increasing. This surge is driving the establishment of continuously operating AI factories that are capable of generating tokens at scale. The shift towards these large-scale, multi-tenant accelerated computing environments is essential to meet the growing needs of AI applications. This transformation is occurring as organizations recognize the necessity for robust infrastructure to support the evolving landscape of AI technology. The move towards these advanced facilities is expected to enhance efficiency and scalability, enabling businesses to leverage AI more effectively in various sectors.
How NVIDIA’s Inference Software Stack Powers the Lowest Token Cost
As organizations transition from experimental AI pilots to fully operational AI factories, there is a significant shift in infrastructure decision-making. This change, observed in late 2023, emphasizes the importance of cost efficiency, focusing on the cost per token rather than just peak chip specifications. Companies are now prioritizing how many useful tokens can be generated per dollar spent, per watt of energy consumed, and within specific latency requirements. This strategic pivot aims to enhance the overall performance and affordability of AI systems, ensuring they can meet the growing demands of the market while maintaining efficiency.
Perceptron Mk1 shocks with highly performant video analysis AI model 80-90% cheaper than Anthropic, OpenAI & Google
Perceptron Inc., a Bellevue-based startup founded by former Meta researchers Armen Aghajanyan and Akshat Shrivastava, has launched its flagship video analysis model, Mk1, aimed at revolutionizing how enterprises utilize AI in real-time video processing. Announced today, this innovative model is priced significantly lower than competitors, at $0.15 per million input tokens and $1.50 per million output tokens, making it accessible for large-scale industrial applications. The Mk1 model, developed over 16 months, excels in understanding complex physical interactions and temporal reasoning, outperforming established models like OpenAI's GPT-5 and Google's Gemini 3.1 Pro in various benchmarks. Its unique architecture allows it to process video streams continuously, maintaining object identity and providing precise analysis of dynamic scenes, which is particularly beneficial for sectors such as security, robotics, and marketing. Perceptron aims to position Mk1 as a leader in the "Efficiency Frontier," balancing high performance with cost-effectiveness. The model's capabilities extend to auto-clipping highlights from live sports and enhancing quality control in manufacturing. A public demo site is available for potential users to explore its functionalities. This launch signifies a significant step towards integrating advanced AI into real-world applications, as the company seeks to make "physical AI" as prevalent as its digital counterpart.
Technology
Leading Inference Providers Cut AI Costs by up to 10x With Open Source Models on NVIDIA Blackwell
In a groundbreaking development in artificial intelligence, various sectors are harnessing the power of tokens to enhance user interactions. From providing diagnostic insights in healthcare to facilitating character dialogues in interactive gaming and enabling autonomous resolutions in customer service, these AI-driven applications are revolutionizing how industries engage with users. This shift is occurring as organizations seek to improve efficiency and user experience by leveraging advanced AI technologies. The integration of tokens allows for seamless communication and problem-solving, showcasing the versatility of AI across different fields. As of October 2023, this trend is expected to continue evolving, further embedding AI into everyday interactions and services.
Robotics needs a service framework.
RSF defines a common language for robot service capability, lifecycle operations, certification pathways, and service-provider networks.
