About 200 economists, big tech executives and AI researchers have released an open letter urging governments and industry to prepare policies for the possibility that AI will replace large numbers of jobs. Led by Stanford Digital Economy Lab, the letter says AI could become far more powerful over the next decade and that institutions and safeguards must be built quickly. It calls for analyzing AI’s economic impact and designing incentives and protections to spread productivity gains while reducing employment risks.

Although enthusiasm for humanoid robots is spreading, skepticism about human-shaped designs is growing among some Silicon Valley investors. They argue that robots tailored to specific tasks are more efficient in industrial settings and that humanoids can be more about demonstrations than practicality. Funding is moving to wheeled general-purpose robots and industrial automation. Supporters counter that successful humanoids could target manufacturing, logistics, services and homes, and investment in the sector is rising sharply.