by | Jan 17, 2025 | Fox News
AgiBot, a pioneering Chinese artificial intelligence and robotics company, has introduced a transformative open-source dataset called AgiBot World Alpha.
This comprehensive collection represents a significant milestone in humanoid robot training, capturing intricate data from over 100 robots across diverse real-world scenarios.
By providing an unprecedented window into robotic movement and interaction, AgiBot has created a multidimensional resource that promises to reshape our understanding of robotic learning and adaptation.
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The AgiBot World Alpha dataset is more than a simple data collection. Researchers and developers can now access an extensive repository containing over 1 million robotic movement trajectories. The dataset spans multiple industries, including home environments, restaurants, industrial settings, offices and supermarkets, providing unprecedented diversity in robotic training scenarios.
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Historically, robotics training has been constrained by limited real-world data and controlled environments. AgiBot’s dataset addresses this fundamental challenge by offering comprehensive, authentic scenario representations. The collection includes complex movements such as fine-grained manipulation, sophisticated tool usage and advanced multi-robot collaboration techniques.
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AgiBot has integrated cutting-edge technological components to capture high-quality data. The dataset leverages array-based visual tactile sensors, durable six-degree-of-freedom hands and mobile dual-arm robotic systems. These advanced hardware configurations enable researchers to explore nuanced robotic learning methodologies.
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The dataset is strategically hosted on GitHub and Hugging Face, ensuring broad accessibility for researchers and developers. However, the Creative Commons CC BY-NC-SA 4.0 license restricts usage to academic and research purposes, preventing commercial applications.
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AgiBot has outlined an ambitious future development strategy. Planned releases include AgiBot World Beta, expected in early 2025, which aims to expand the dataset to approximately one million high-quality robotic trajectories. The company also anticipates launching the AgiBot World Colosseum platform and a potential global robotics challenge.
The release of AgiBot World Alpha could fundamentally transform robotics research and development. By providing authentic, diverse training data, the dataset enables more sophisticated approaches to:
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Generative AI has dramatically accelerated robotics development, allowing more intelligent software capable of understanding contextual scenarios. AgiBot’s dataset represents a critical step in creating more adaptable, intelligent robotic systems that can process and respond to diverse environmental challenges.
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By providing a comprehensive, open-source dataset that spans multiple industries and scenarios, AgiBot has made advanced robotic learning very accessible. This means that instead of expensive, exclusive research being limited to a few well-funded labs, now more people can contribute to and learn from cutting-edge robotic data. As we look to the future, this dataset stands as a collaborative innovation, promising to bridge the gap between theoretical robotics and practical, context-aware artificial intelligence.
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by | Jan 17, 2025 | Fox News
There were many things that preceded the “nonsensical” response from Los Angeles and California state leaders to the devastating wildfires that continue to blaze across the region, according to historian and political commentator Victor Davis Hanson.
“To mitigate you have to know what went wrong, and there were short-term and long-term problems,” Davis, a Hoover Institution public policy think tank senior fellow, told Fox News Digital in a Tuesday interview. “And I don’t think climate change played a role, at least a non-immediate role.”
Davis described the situation as a “woke green hydrogen bomb” — from Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass’ absence during the critical first 24 hours of the inferno to empty fire hydrants, a dysfunctional reservoir, a defunded fire department and a lack of new water infrastructure despite Gov. Gavin Newsom’s support of the billions of dollars earmarked to address it.
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“It’s a very fragile system,” Hanson said. “What Gavin Newsom did not do is he did not take the allotted money and build the reservoirs that would have accommodated the increased population. Number two, that water that is being pumped across the [Sacramento-San Joaquin River] Delta, he let go out into the bay under the demands of environmentalists. He said in his defense that the reservoirs are full. That’s not true. If you look at the biggest one, it’s only 75% full, and we are in a semi-drought right now.”
Newsom told NBC News in a pretaped interview that aired Sunday, “The reservoirs are completely full — the state reservoirs here in Southern California. That mis- and disinformation, I don’t think, advantages or aids any of us.”
But as of Tuesday, Shasta Lake, California’s largest reservoir, was at 77% capacity, holding approximately 3.52 million acre-feet of water out of its total capacity of 4.55 million acre-feet, according to the Bureau of Reclamation.
Fox News Digital reached out to Newsom’s office for comment and has not yet received a response.
California’s existing reservoirs can only hold so much water, and many were built in the mid-20th century.
In 2014, Golden State voters passed Proposition 1, also known as the Water Quality, Supply and Infrastructure Improvement Act, which authorized $2.7 billion in bonds to increase the state’s water storage capacity through building new reservoirs and groundwater storage facilities. Yet as of January, no new reservoirs have been completed under Prop. 1.
In 2024, the state experienced record-breaking rainfall after an atmospheric river event, but the existing water infrastructure faced difficulties managing the sudden influx of water. A significant portion of that rainfall was dumped into the ocean as the state struggles to properly store water, multiple California agencies said.
“There was a roughly 120 million gallon reservoir that could have been used because they only had three million in reserve — that would have probably made the difference,” Hanson said. “That had been idle for almost a year, and it was because the cover was torn. It was just nonsensical.”
The out-of-order reservoir Hanson referred to, known as the Santa Ynez Reservoir in Pacific Palisades, has been closed for repairs since February due to a tear in its covering, which was designed to maintain the water quality, the Los Angeles Times first reported Tuesday.
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Hanson has a Central Valley farm that relies on snowmelt from the Sierra Nevada Mountains, he explained.
In California’s Central Valley, farming water typically comes from the Sierra, mainly through the San Joaquin River system, which is supported by major dams like Shaver, Huntington and Pine Flat. That water is often released into the Sacramento River, which flows into the Delta. Despite increasing demand, no new dams have been built on the San Joaquin system in decades.
On the west side of the valley, water comes from snowmelt in northern California’s Cascade Range and northern Sierra, filling larger reservoirs like Oroville and Folsom. These reservoirs were designed to store water during wet years, ensuring a steady supply in average years and a backup for drought years.
However, California has faced a prolonged dry spell, with little rain or snow in recent weeks, causing reservoir levels to drop.
“So when Gavin Newsom says, well, ‘they’re full,’ they’re not all full, but they’re descending at a rapid rate, because he will not stop the releases to the ocean,” Hanson said. “They’re still going on, as you and I speak, and they’re not pumping 100% of it to the aqueduct, which serves agriculture in Los Angeles.”
Newsom, meanwhile, has shifted the blame to local management and ordered an independent review of the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power.
“We need answers to how that happened,” Newsom wrote to the department’s director and the director of Los Angeles County Public Works on Jan. 10, regarding reports of lost water supply.
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For his part, Newsom also proposed allocating at least $2.5 billion in additional funding to bolster California’s emergency response and recovery efforts in Los Angeles, his office announced on Monday.
The proposed funding would support recovery and cleanup operations, enhance wildfire preparedness and assist in reopening schools closed due to the fires. The funding would come from the state’s Disaster Response Emergency Operations Account, with $1.5 billion coming from speeding up the use of climate bond funds for immediate use, according to his office.
There has been a slight increase in containment for the deadly Palisades and Eaton fires burning in Los Angeles County, according to a Wednesday night update from the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection.
The Palisades fire, the larger of the two at 23,713 acres burned as of Wednesday, is at 21% containment after its ignition in the Pacific Palisades neighborhood more than a week ago, according to the department.
The Eaton Fire in the Altadena/Pasadena area was at 45% containment as of Wednesday night. Both fires broke out on Jan. 7.
Fox News Digital has reached out to Bass’ office for comment.
Fox News Digital’s Elizabeth Pritchett contributed to this report.
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by | Jan 17, 2025 | Fox News
Florida authorities have charged a second person with attempted murder this week in connection with the December shooting of an off-duty federal agent that left him paralyzed.
The Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office arrested Tia Heyward, 23, on Wednesday after investigators determined she allegedly aided Christopher Smith, 18, in the Dec. 27, 2024, shooting of an off-duty Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) agent.
Heyward is charged with first-degree attempted murder with great bodily harm (accessory after the fact), aggravated battery with great bodily harm (accessory after the fact) and two counts of simple battery.
Smith, who was arrested hours later on Dec. 28, faces similar charges of first-degree attempted murder – discharging a firearm causing great bodily harm, aggravated battery causing great bodily harm with a deadly weapon, tampering with physical evidence and carrying a concealed firearm.
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FOX 13 Tampa Bay identified the ATF agent as Special Agent Matthew Murray, who serves with the bureau’s Tampa Field Division.
Murray was shot at approximately 11:07 p.m. on Dec. 27 at The Alley at Southshore in Riverview, Florida, after attempting to deescalate a fight between two men and a woman in the parking lot of the bowling alley.
He was out for a night of bowling with his wife, their children, and family friends, when they saw the fight break out while standing near the front door.
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Murray’s wife said during a pre-trial detention hearing for Smith that her husband identified himself as law enforcement and told the group of people to go home, FOX 13 reported. One of them allegedly threw a bottle or cup at Murray, according to his wife. Meanwhile, Smith alleged that Murray hit him in the shoulder.
Smith is then accused of shooting Murray in the back of the neck.
He was taken to Tampa General Hospital, where he underwent emergency surgery and remains in critical condition with permanent paralysis, Murray’s wife stated.
Smith allegedly fled the bowling alley in a Nissan Altima and was located by Hillsborough County deputies at a nearby home approximately seven hours later.
Smith has been behind bars since Dec. 28 and was denied bond earlier this month. Heyward is in jail on $42,000 bond.
“Our detectives have worked tirelessly to ensure that all those responsible for this senseless act of violence are held accountable and face the consequences of their actions,” HCSO Sheriff Chad Chronister said in a statement. “Our prayers remain with the ATF agent as he courageously embarks on his road to recovery. His bravery and selflessness exemplify his dedication to protecting our community.”
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by | Jan 17, 2025 | Fox News
A happily-ever-after with whom a woman assumed to be Hollywood hunk Brad Pitt quickly turned into a living nightmare.
On Jan. 12, the French television channel TF1 aired an episode of its show “Sept à Huit,” which told the story of a 53-year-old interior designer named Anne who revealed that she had lost 830,000 euros (approximately $850,000) in personal funds because she thought she was sending money to a cancer-ridden Pitt.
Through falsified documents and images as well as artificial intelligence, Anne believed she was speaking to, and eventually in a relationship with, the 61-year-old actor.
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Reportedly contacted in February 2023 on Instagram by a person who introduced themselves as Pitt’s 85-year-old mother, Jane Etta Pitt, Anne received a message that said, “It’s a woman like you that my son needs,” per BFM TV and The Sunday Times.
“At first I said to myself that it was fake, that it’s ridiculous,” Anne said, per AFP. “But I’m not used to social media and I didn’t really understand what was happening to me.” Despite her skepticism, Anne proceeded with the conversation before being messaged by the alleged Pitt.
“My mother told me a lot about you,” the con artist wrote.
Anne was barraged with countless romantic messages and poetry as well as doctored photographs. The operation was multifaceted, with others posing as Pitt’s manager and daughter, Shiloh, who he shares with ex-wife Angelina Jolie, to aid in the con. Following a contentious eight-year legal battle, Pitt and Jolie finalized their divorce settlement in 2024 after being legally declared “single” in 2019.
“What makes these scams particularly dangerous is their multilayered approach,” Marva Bailer, AI expert and founder and CEO of Qualaix, told Fox News Digital. “Scammers build trust over time, often pretending to be a family member, a staff member or even someone close to the celebrity who claims they are helping the celebrity by managing their charitable efforts. This indirect approach makes the scam seem more credible, as it’s not the celebrity asking for help directly, it’s someone positioned to be more relatable or ‘realistic.’ It plays on the idea that the celebrity is too proud or private to ask for help themselves, which makes the situation seem more genuine.”
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Anne was troubled by her lack of visual communication with the actor, prompting the scammer to send her an AI-curated video. Money was introduced into the conversation when Anne was told she’d need to pay more than 9,000 euros in customs tariffs in order to accept luxury gifts from the person posing as Pitt.
A recent divorcée, Anne relayed to the scammer that she’d received a hefty divorce settlement of 775,000 euros. After this admission, the Pitt impersonator told Anne that he had kidney cancer and was struggling to pay for his treatments due to his ongoing divorce proceedings with Jolie. Anne sent most of her divorce settlement to the fake Pitt.
Throughout the treatment, the alleged Pitt sent Anne a series of doctored pictures depicting his time in the hospital receiving treatment. In one picture, Pitt lies in a hospital bed holding a card that reads, “Anne I love you.”
A novice at social media, Anne had lingering doubts and the wherewithal to block the scammer’s number on multiple occasions, ultimately succumbing to her feelings and resuming communication. After initially reading a report that Pitt was involved with businesswoman Inés de Ramon, she was sent a fake TV report to mitigate her qualms, which clarified the couple wasn’t together.
When photos of the couple were released over the summer, Anne knew it was all a con and decided to take legal action. The story was ultimately pulled by TF1 because she started to experience extreme ridicule. The network released a statement saying they’d chosen to pull the story from their platforms after the initial broadcast “sparked a wave of harassment” against the victim.
A representative for Pitt told E! News on Jan. 15 that the situation involving Anne was “awful.”
“It’s awful that scammers take advantage of fans’ strong connection with celebrities,” the rep said, “but this is an important reminder to not respond to unsolicited online outreach, especially from actors who have no social media presence.”
Pitt does not have any verified social media platforms. The actor’s representative did not immediately respond to Fox News Digital’s request for comment.
Bailer echoed those sentiments, sharing that with how easily accessible celebrity imagery is, people are at risk: “With access to a celebrity’s public persona and online presence, they can create fake social media accounts or send highly convincing emails or messages that look as though they come directly from the celebrity or their team. Fans, eager to be a part of something that feels exclusive, can easily be misled into thinking they are engaging with someone they trust.”
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Luke Arrigoni, CEO of Loti AI, a company that specializes in facial recognition and deepfake detection, told Fox News Digital that scams like this one involving Pitt’s likeness “are becoming increasingly common.”
“For everyone who is interacting with these scam accounts, please be aware that the scammers often give reasons why they have to hide their relationships. They fake medical issues or being stranded somewhere, these are all red flags. But the biggest red flag is asking for any kind of money at all.”
“These types of scams are rampant and the deepfakes being made through the use of artificial intelligence are getting better and better all of the time,” Rob Rosenburg, who runs the consulting firm Telluride Legal Strategies, told Fox News Digital. “Unless you travel in celebrity circles, you should treat any communication originating from a celebrity with caution. It is more likely a scam than authentic.”
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by | Jan 17, 2025 | Fox News
President Biden defended his administration by insisting inflation was down and that “red states” were screwing up their own economies.
Biden sat down with MSNBC host Lawrence O’Donnell for the last interview of his administration before officially leaving office on Monday. The two discussed many topics, including Biden’s handling of the economy and the threat of inflation.
The president dismissed criticisms of how he handled inflation by claiming the alternative was to lose jobs.
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Rejecting warnings from economists like Larry Summers that his COVID stimulus spending would cause more inflation, Biden claimed otherwise “the only way to deal with inflation is to create unemployment and another recession.”
“But guess what? I was absolutely convinced. Give the American people half a shot. They’ll step up and get the job done if you give them the opportunity. Look what they did. They stepped up in every major endeavor,” he said. “I never believed we couldn’t have a soft landing. We had a soft landing. Inflation is down almost to 2%, a lot going on.”
The Labor Department said on Wednesday that inflation rose by 2.9% in December, up from 2.7% in November and the highest rate since July 2024.
Biden went on to claim red states “screwed up” on their own and needed more investment in them than blue states.
“And look, the other thing, Lawrence, I got a lot of criticism. Understandably. We’ve invested more in red states than blue states…for two reasons. One, red states really screwed up in terms of the way they handled their economy and the way they handle manufacturing, the way they handle access to supply chains,” Biden said.
Reports have found that Republican-led states like Florida and Texas recovered far more quickly than blue states after the pandemic.
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A new Fox News survey on Thursday showed almost twice as many people think the Biden administration has made the economy worse rather than better, 52% vs. 28%. Plus, nearly all voters, 89%, say they are either extremely or very concerned about inflation — up from 83% in the beginning of Biden’s term.
70% of voters say the economy is in bad shape with six out of 10 Democrats agreeing that the economy was only fair or in poor condition.
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