🤖Apple’s Expressive Robot Prototype

Today we will discuss:

• Sponsored: Guidde - AI-powered how-to videos—Instantly create step-by-step video guides with AI-generated visuals, voiceovers, and a free browser extension for easy sharing 

• Apple’s take on home robotics—A robotic lamp that reacts like Pixar’s Luxo Jr

• France’s €109 Billion AI push—Macron announces €109 billion AI push, including a massive UAE-funded data center in France

• In other AI news today— OpenAI to finalize its first custom chip design in 2025, Anthropic finds AI is transforming coding but rarely replacing humans, Artists call on Christie’s to cancel its AI art auction, and DeepSeek ends promo pricing & secures the AI.com redirect

• Don’t miss last week’s Workflow Wednesday—AI workflows for CRM automation, LinkedIn outreach, and follow-up—now available at only $20/month!

• Saved the best for last—9 must-try AI tools

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Apple’s research explores expressive robot movements—and now there’s a working prototype

Key Points 

• Apple’s new robotic lamp prototype moves expressively, making interactions feel more natural and intuitive.

• A video shows the lamp responding with Siri’s voice, even turning toward a window before answering weather questions.

• Apple’s research hints at a future smart home assistant that uses movement to enhance engagement without a humanoid form.

💡Context of the news - Last month, Apple shared insights into its consumer robotics research through a paper arguing that expressive movements are key to improving human-robot interaction. The report pointed out that humans, like animals, are highly sensitive to motion, making subtle movements essential for engagement. 

To illustrate this, Apple referenced Pixar’s Luxo Jr.—the animated lamp that has served as the studio’s mascot since 1985. Apple’s researchers took a similar approach, using a robotic lamp to demonstrate how even a non-human object can display lifelike behavior.  

♨️News - Now, Apple has taken that research a step further with a working prototype. A newly released video showcases the robotic lamp in action, moving in ways designed to make it feel more natural and engaging. 

The lamp doesn’t just react to commands—it incorporates expressive qualities like intention and attention. For example, when asked about the weather, one version simply states the answer, while another turns toward a window before responding, as if checking outside. The movements closely mirror those of Pixar’s animated lamp, reinforcing how small gestures can make a machine feel more lifelike.  

✨What’s the most interesting point? One of the most striking aspects of Apple’s prototype is its potential as a smart home assistant. The robotic lamp responds using Siri’s voice, functioning like an advanced version of a HomePod or Amazon Echo. The subtle difference in how it delivers information—adding movement instead of just speaking—makes interactions feel more natural, tapping into the way humans instinctively interpret body language.  

🤓Why this matters -  Apple’s research comes amid reports of the company  actively developing consumer robotics, possibly linked to a more advanced smart home system. This new approach could help Apple create a home assistant that feels more intuitive and engaging. While Amazon’s Astro robot already uses movement for a more human-like experience, Apple’s focus on a non-humanoid design suggests it might take an even more subtle but effective route.

Read the full story here. 

France ramps up AI efforts with €109 billion investment plan

Key Points 

• France is set to receive €109 billion in private AI investment, backed by UAE, North American, and French firms.

• Experts warn that infrastructure alone won’t be enough for Europe to compete with AI leaders like the U.S. and China.

☕News – France is gearing up for a major AI push, with €109 billion ($112.6 billion) in private investment coming its way in the next few years. 

President Emmanuel Macron made the announcement ahead of the country’s global AI summit, calling it France’s equivalent of the U.S.’s massive $500 billion Stargate project—a private AI investment initiative backed by OpenAI, Oracle, and SoftBank. The French funding, however, will come from a mix of UAE investors, North American funds, and major French companies like telecom providers Iliad and Orange, as well as aerospace and defense group Thales.  

🥸What’s more? Just before the AI Action Summit kicked off, the UAE announced plans to invest between €30 billion and €50 billion in a one-gigawatt AI data center in France. Iliad also committed €3 billion toward AI infrastructure, while French AI startup Mistral revealed plans to build its own data center.  

🤔Is it enough though? While this investment is a big win for France, some industry leaders say it’s just a start. Victor Riparbelli, CEO of AI firm Synthesia, sees it as a step in the right direction but warns that Europe needs to do more to stay competitive with AI powerhouses like the U.S. and China.  

“It’s great that we invest more in infrastructure. I don’t think it’s the sole solution to the problem,” he said, adding that real progress will require a broader strategy. 

Read the full story here. 

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