Meet Singapore's robotic police task force

The first Drone as First Responder program in the U.S. expands the use of drone aircraft by the police, sending the aircraft on emergency calls without direct oversight by a human pilot. Using technology similar to self-driving cars, the drones deploy long-distance cameras and other sensors to observe things more quickly, safely, or efficiently than through traditional means. As more police departments adopt the equipment and tactic, privacy advocates warn of surveillance excesses that could harm over-policed populations.

New York State's partnership with ElliQ, a tabletop AI companion robot distributed free to low-income, socially isolated seniors through the state's Office for the Aging, aims to address the elderly loneliness crisis. Launched in 2022 with an initial pilot of 800 devices, the program has since expanded to 15 government agencies across multiple states. 94% of users report feeling less lonely after living with the robot.

Some cities are requiring companies that deploy personal delivery vehicles, or PDDs, to collect and share data around sidewalk accessibility to highlight areas in need of repair or improvement. In Los Angeles, the data helped spur the installation of three curb ramps in an area that previously had none, and some municipalities are even drawing revenue from PDD companies to support infrastructure improvements.

An AI-powered robot chef created by the startup goodBytz can prepare up to eight dishes at once and up to 3,000 meals a day, virtually 24/7, ensuring hospital workers, patients and their families always have access to freshly cooked food.

As many struggle to access mental health care, AI-powered chatbots, called “psychobots,” are emerging as a response to limited access to traditional psychotherapy. While they may not be a replacement for human connection, these chatbots offer affordable, convenient and anonymous psychological support, using techniques such as cognitive-behavioral therapy and advanced conversational AI algorithms to communicate.

Farmers are transitioning to precision agriculture to mitigate and adapt to climate change. The practice uses technology like artificial intelligence, satellite imagery, and soil probes to collect and analyze data so farmers know how to manage specific parts of their fields.

To help reduce methane emissions, the Oil and Gas Climate Initiative invested in high-tech satellites that can detect equipment leaks that might otherwise be missed. The leaks identified and addressed thanks to the satellites accounted for the equivalent of one million tons of carbon dioxide.

Several hospitals are beginning to use artificial intelligence, like Chat GPT’s medical assistant Suzanne, to make cardiovascular medicine more accurate and effective. AI can detect illnesses that are hard to see with the human eye, interpret test results and make diagnoses quicker and help doctors provide more effective treatment to patients. Since AI emerged in healthcare in 2018, the FDA has approved about 700 AI and machine learning-enabled medical devices.

Researchers and conservationists around the world are finding ways to help coral reefs grow quicker and survive the warming ocean temperatures caused by climate change. The Australian company Coral Maker is using artificial intelligence and robots to mass produce concrete skeletons for coral to grow on, and the Coral Restoration Foundation is growing coral on floating "trees."

HopSkipDrive is a transportation company with an artificial intelligence tool that helps schools across the United States optimize their bus routes around driver shortages. The company uses a combination of traditional bus rides and passenger cars operated by its drivers to improve on-time arrival rates and reduce absenteeism.