Welcome to the AI Insider’s The Week Ahead in AI. See the key developments and events we’re watching Aug. 17–Aug. 23.
Weekend AI News Briefs
Nvidia Quietly Buys More Stock in AI Infrastructure Favorite
Nvidia’s latest SEC filing shows it is expanding beyond chip sales by investing heavily in companies building AI infrastructure, with stakes across semiconductors, cloud platforms, and life sciences. Its largest position is in CoreWeave, where Nvidia boosted its holdings to 24.28 million shares worth $4.3 billion, underscoring its bet on GPU-powered cloud computing for AI. (Yahoo Finance)
New IFR Position Paper Explores the State of Humanoid Rob
The International Federation of Robotics says humanoid robots are nearing real-world deployment, driven by advances in AI, sensors, and materials, with applications in manufacturing, logistics, healthcare, and services. Widespread adoption faces hurdles such as high costs, limited battery life, and cultural acceptance, but could arrive within a decade if production scales. (AI Insider)
Fisheries Turn to Artificial Intelligence to Lower Costs Amid Inflation
The Alaska Longline Fishermen’s Association has received a $485,000 grant from the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation to integrate AI into its electronic monitoring program for sablefish and halibut fisheries. Partnering with Archipelago Marine Research, the project aims to cut monitoring costs, improve efficiency, and address rising industry expenses driven by inflation. (Alaska’s News Source)
China Firm Plans First Pregnancy Humanoid Robot Using Artificial Womb
Guangzhou-based Kaiwa Technology is developing a humanoid robot with an artificial womb designed to carry a fetus through a full-term pregnancy, Interesting engineering reports. Expected to debut by 2026 at under $14,000, the device is pitched as an alternative for those seeking to avoid the physical demands of human gestation. (Interesting Engineering)
Upcoming Earnings Reports
Agora (Nasdaq: API) reports Q2 2025 earnings after the closing bell on August 18. Agora provides real-time engagement platforms with APIs for voice, video, and live interactive streaming, heavily leveraging AI for conversational applications. Its earnings are significant for insights into AI-driven communication technologies. (Nasdaq)
Palo Alto Networks (Nasdaq: PANW) is scheduled to report after the market close on August 18. As a leader in cybersecurity, Palo Alto Networks integrates AI to enhance threat detection and response. Its earnings will shed light on the growing role of AI in cybersecurity solutions. (Nasdaq)
Baidu (BIDU) is expected to report before the market opens on August 20. Baidu is a major Chinese tech company with significant investments in AI, including its QWEN large language model and ventures into the robotaxi space through partnerships like with Uber. Its share price has lagged behind competitors, making this report critical for assessing its AI-driven growth. (Nasdaq)
AI Research
Thinking Small: Small Language Models Could Reshape Agentic AI
A new study from NVIDIA and Georgia Tech argues that small language models (SLMs) can handle most AI agent tasks more efficiently than large models. The researchers say SLMs are cheaper, faster, and capable of replacing up to 70% of large-model calls, predicting hybrid systems will dominate the industry. (AI Insider)
AI Conferences & Events
Unlock the Strategic Power of Industrial AI (Virtual)
August 20, 2025, 10:30 a.m. to 11:00 a.m. EDT, online only, MIT is hosting a 30-minute online conversation with Senior Lecturer John Carrier on how six decades of system dynamics research can guide the strategic use of Industrial AI and Industry 4.0 technologies. The session will preview MIT’s upcoming course on digital transformation, focusing on competitive advantage, productivity, and people-centered decision-making. (MIT)
August 20–21, 2025, San Diego, Calif,, as AI literacy is becoming essential for professionals at every level, with Gartner projecting that organizations prioritizing executive AI training will see 20% higher financial performance by 2027. The AI Accelerate 2025 program offers two days of practical sessions to help business leaders and staff apply generative AI effectively, regardless of technical background. (AI Accelerate 2025)
AI Policy
Sen. Hawley to Probe Meta AI Bot Policies for Children Following Report
U.S. Senator Josh Hawley announced an investigation into Meta after a Reuters report revealed company rules permitting certain “romantic” or “sensual” chatbot conversations with minors. The probe will examine whether Meta’s AI tools expose children to exploitation and if the company misled regulators about its safeguards. (CNBC)
