Embodied AI & autonomy: NIO’s intelligent-driving chief Ren Shaoqing is reportedly spinning out an independent company focused on physical AI foundation models and embodied intelligence, with NIO investing as a strategic shareholder—signaling a push to reuse “world model” know-how from cars into robotics. Quantum tech: Harvard physicists report sound-wave protection that nearly triples how long a fragile quantum bit can hold information, pointing to phonon-based quantum networks on chips. AI infrastructure policy: Texas has paused approval for new AI data centers over water and power concerns, requiring developers to disclose usage and prove local impact mitigation. Semiconductors under export pressure: Applied Materials says US export controls will cut about $600M from fiscal 2026 revenue, with China’s share shrinking as competitors fill the gap. Water & climate science: A study on tomato “golden hour” stomata timing suggests breeders could target drought resilience by optimizing when plants open pores, not just how many. Health biotech: The FDA approved Revolution Medicines’ RASONQUE (daraxonrasib) for metastatic pancreatic cancer, marking a major RAS-targeted advance. Genomics capacity: Canadore College received federal funds to expand genomics equipment for health, agriculture, and water research. Robotics showcase: China’s World Humanoid Robot Games highlighted faster real-world task performance driven by better algorithms, hardware, and reinforcement training.