Apps

Meta Unveils Muse AI Agent That Books Travel and Shops — 5dMeta has begun rolling out Muse, its AI agent for personal task automation, in the United States with a secure VM and privacy controls, accessible via a dedicated Muse app or WhatsApp to manage things from emails to long-term goals. The release is staged—ranging from closed alpha/beta testing and waitlists to future features like payments integration and encrypted data—to balance broad access with safety and user control over data and training.

U.S., China Outline Paths Toward AV DeploymentAuto — 3dThe U.S. Department of Transportation rolled out a revamped National Strategy for Automated Vehicles, outlining four objectives—safety, regulatory certainty, American innovation, and interoperable corridors—alongside ongoing DOT and FMCSA efforts to modernize regulations and expand AV applications for passengers and freight. Separately, China unveiled a 2030 roadmap for mass deployment of self-driving vehicles to boost global influence, tighten production and safety standards, and foster international cooperation, signaling a broader push for AV leadership worldwide.

Exxon Plans Widespread Automated Drilling Across Permian — Aug 24, 2026ExxonMobil is expanding automated drilling in the Permian Basin, planning to automate about a quarter of its rigs next year and half by 2028 to boost safety and efficiency, with two automated rigs currently in operation among more than 30. The company aims to lift Permian production by about 40% to 2.5 million barrels of oil equivalent per day by 2030, while Chevron pursues a different path focusing on cash flow over volume growth.

Video — YouTubeJon on Trump's Meme Assault on Canada & the Alternate Reality He's Constructed | The Daily ShowThe Daily Show · 9M views · Sep 9, 2026

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AP Automation Spreads After Brex Guide — Aug 25, 2026A growing company’s accounts payable process often relies on ad hoc workarounds, so firms can benefit from a Brex-guided, six‑month rollout that sequences fixes before automation, optimizes approval logic, and tracks KPIs to avoid repeating past bottlenecks. Automation that integrates with ERP systems like NetSuite can scale AP by automating data capture, validation, and routing, addressing the reality that manual processes hinder growth and that ERP integration is highly prioritized by finance professionals.

BepiColombo spacecraft begin risky final approach to Mercury orbit — Sep 3, 2026The European Space Agency and Japan’s JAXA have begun the arrival phase of the BepiColombo mission to Mercury, with the two orbiters separating in preparation to enter Mercury’s orbit in November and split in December to map the planet. The highly automated, high-risk sequence—driven by Mercury’s proximity to the Sun and involving multiple flybys—underscores the mission’s complexity, with scientific observations slated to begin in the coming years.

Jared Kim Seven years of flybys and gravity assists just to fight the Sun's pull enough to slip into orbit - wild that Mercury is harder to reach than Pluto in some ways.

Clearmind Plans $2.5M Acquisition of EV Charging Stake — Sep 4, 2026Clearmind Medicine has agreed to acquire a 51% stake in Charging Robotics for $2.5 million and will extend a $1.5 million loan at 4% interest, with closing targeted for the week of September 7, 2026. Charging Robotics provides wireless 10 kW charging for automated parking facilities and autonomous platforms, enabling continuous, plug-free charging integrated into robotic parking and robotaxi workflows in dense urban settings.

Tom Gallagher The 4% loan on top of the equity stake makes this look more like a bailout than a strategic investment. Curious how Charging Robotics' cash flow looks.

Massie and Burlison unveil Flock-Off Act to restrict surveillance camera funding — Sep 3, 2026Rep. Thomas Massie unveiled the Flock-Off Act to bar federal funding for automated license plate readers and biometric surveillance cameras, requiring local funding and allowing penalties on violators. The legislation, backed by Rep. Eric Burlison and aimed at Flock Safety’s widespread network, reflects bipartisan privacy concerns and includes narrow exemptions for border security and toll collection.

Derek Foss The toll and border exemptions make sense but I hope they don't become loopholes that swallow the whole law down the road.

Truckers Replaced By Driverless Delivery As Automation Revolution BeginsReporting — Jun 8, 2026Dozens of driverless trucks are hitting the road as industries rush toward automation.

Uber €825m GDPR Fine: Netherlands Case — Aug 21, 2026The Dutch Data Protection Authority fined Uber €825 million for using automated systems to deactivate driver accounts without adequately informing them, covering cases from 2020 to 2022; Uber says it will appeal and notes it now employs human reviews. The penalty would be the second-largest under GDPR, underscoring heightened regulatory scrutiny of automated decision-making in gig economy platforms like Uber.

Wipro expands AI-powered workplace deal with ABB across 100-plus countries — Sep 1, 2026Wipro has renewed and expanded its Digital Workplace Services contract with ABB to deliver AI-enabled workplace solutions globally, leveraging Wipro Intelligence, AI Live Workspace, WINGS, and SmartOps to automate and optimize ABB’s digital environment. The renewal adds endpoint security operations and device lifecycle management, signaling ABB’s deeper adoption of AI-driven, autonomous workplace infrastructure across more than 100 countries.

Dana Whitfield Deals like this show how much backend IT work goes into keeping a global company running smoothly. Not flashy but necessary stuff.

Video — YouTubeA tactical genius in the stands?! 🤯 #ShortsDistantMoments · 3.8M views · Sep 11, 2026

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Truckers Replaced By Driverless Delivery As Automation Revolution Begins — Jun 8, 2026Dozens of driverless trucks are hitting the road as industries rush toward automation. PepsiCo is partnering with autonomous vehicle startup Gatik to rollout a fleet of 35 driverless trucks, Wall Street Journal reported…

Twitter Planning To Create Label for Automated ‘Bot’ AccountsReporting — Dec 17, 2020Twitter Inc is planning to create a new type of account for bots next year that will identify them as automated, the company said in a blog post on Thursday finalizing plans for a reboot of its long-paused verification…

Nokia's new Riyadh center to build AI-driven networks for Saudi Vision 2030 — Sep 1, 2026Nokia opened its first R&D center in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia to develop AI-powered network automation and orchestration software, focusing on SMO, SON, Autopilot, rApps, and AI-native 6G technologies to localize advanced capabilities and train Saudi talent. The project aligns with Saudi Vision 2030, strengthens Saudi Arabia’s status as a hub for intelligent network innovation, and serves Nokia’s global customers with localized expertise.

Derek Foss Network automation and AI orchestration sound great on paper, but I'll believe the "intelligent network hub" claim when we see actual deployed products from this center.

UnifyDropshipping says new platform untangles e-commerce sourcing and fulfillment — Sep 1, 2026The e-commerce landscape is converging around unified sourcing, fulfillment, and logistics platforms, with services like UnifyDropshipping streamlining operations for Shopify, WooCommerce, and other channels while luxury retailers tailor high-touch experiences for top clients. Simultaneously, growing international reach, logistics automation, rapid last-mile delivery, returns management, and localization strategies are reshaping how brands expand globally and optimize fulfillment through data-driven, customer-centric approaches.

Jared Kim Used three different sourcing tools last year and they all promised the same "unified" magic until returns piled up and nobody could tell me where my stock actually was.