Robotics and artificial intelligence
Intelligent machines could shape the future of science and society.
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At the end of the twentieth century, computing was transformed from the preserve of laboratories and industry to a ubiquitous part of everyday life. We are now living through the early stages of a similarly rapid revolution in robotics and artificial intelligence — and the effect on society could be just as enormous.
This collection will be updated throughout 2025 with stories from journalists and research from across the Nature Portfolio journals. Check back throughout the year for the latest additions, or sign up to Nature Briefing: AI and Robotics to receive weekly email updates on this collection and other goings-on in AI and robotics.
Features
Original journalism from Nature.
LATEST FEATURE
AI decodes the calls of the wild
Artificial intelligence could reveal how animals of the land, sea and sky talk to others of their species. By Neil Savage
10 December 2024
Can robotic lab assistants speed up your work?
When it comes to laboratory automation, small and simple is the winning combination. By Carrie Arnold
14 November 2024
Fixing AI’s energy crisis
Hardware that consumes less power will reduce artificial intelligence’s appetite for energy. But transparency about its carbon footprint is still needed. By Katherine Bourzac
17 October 2024
AI is vulnerable to attack. Can it ever be used safely?
The models that underpin artificial-intelligence systems such as ChatGPT can be subject to attacks that elicit harmful behaviour. Making them safe will not be easy. By Simon Makin
25 July 2024
Are robots the solution to the crisis in older-person care?
Social robots that promise companionship and stimulation for older people and those with dementia are attracting investment, but some question their benefits. By Tammy Worth
25 April 2024
Robot, repair thyself: laying the foundations for self-healing machines
Advances in materials science and sensing could deliver robots that can mend themselves and feel pain. By Simon Makin
29 February 2024
This cyborg cockroach could be the future of earthquake search and rescue
From drivable bionic animals to machines made from muscle, biohybrid robots are on their way to a variety of uses. By Liam Drew
7 December 2023
A test of artificial intelligence
With debate raging over the abilities of modern AI systems, scientists are struggling to effectively assess machine intelligence. By Michael Eisenstein
14 September 2023
How robots can learn to follow a moral code
Ethical artificial intelligence aims to impart human values on machine-learning systems. By Neil Savage
26 October 2023
Robots need better batteries
As mobile machines travel further from the grid, they'll need lightweight and efficient power sources. By Jeff Hecht
29 June 2023
Synthetic data could be better than real data
Machine-generated data sets could improve privacy and representation in artificial intelligence, if researchers can find the right balance between accuracy and fakery. By Neil Savage
27 April 2023
Why artificial intelligence needs to understand consequences
A machine with a grasp of cause and effect could learn more like a human, through imagination and regret. By Neil Savage
24 February 2023
Abandoned: The human cost of neurotechnology failure
When the makers of electronic implants abandon their projects, people who rely on the devices have everything to lose. By Liam Drew
6 December 2022
Bioinspired robots walk, swim, slither and fly
Engineers look to nature for ideas on how to make robots move through the world. By Neil Savage
29 September 2022
Learning over a lifetime
Artificial-intelligence researchers turn to lifelong learning in the hopes of making machine intelligence more adaptable. By Neil Savage
20 July 2022
Teaching robots to touch
Robots have become increasingly adept at interacting with the world around them. But to fulfil their potential, they also need a sense of touch. By Marcus Woo
26 May 2022
Miniature medical robots step out from sci-fi
Tiny machines that deliver therapeutic payloads to precise locations in the body are the stuff of science fiction. But some researchers are trying to turn them into a clinical reality. By Anthony King
29 March 2022
Breaking into the black box of artificial intelligence
Scientists are finding ways to explain the inner workings of complex machine-learning models. By Neil Savage
29 March 2022
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SPONSOR FEATURES
Sponsor retains sole responsibility for the content of the below articles.
Will ChatGPT give us a lesson in education?
There might be a learning curve as AI tools grow in popularity, but this technology offers teachers opportunities to help pupils acquire new skills around formulating questions and in critical thinking.
The challenge of making moral machines
Artificial intelligence has the potential to improve industries, markets and lives – but only if we can trust the algorithms.
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