Welcome to the Labor Day (or Labour Day) edition of AI Insider’s The Week Ahead in AI. See the key developments and events we’re watching Aug. 31–Sept. 6.
Weekend AI News Briefs
What Role Will AI Companion Robots Play in Caring for the Elderly?
AI companion robots are emerging as supportive tools in elderly care, providing emotional comfort and help with daily tasks but falling short of replacing human caregivers. Countries from Japan to the U.S. are piloting devices like PARO, ElliQ, and Buddy, which show promise in easing caregiver strain and boosting patient engagement. Yet concerns over privacy, job loss, usability, and the absence of genuine empathy leave the long-term prospects of widespread adoption unresolved. (AI Insider)
How Sheer Luck Made this Tiny Caribbean island Millions From its Web Address
Anguilla is cashing in on the AI boom as demand for its .ai domain names brought in $39 million last year, nearly a quarter of the island’s total revenue, the BBC reports. With more than 850,000 domains now registered, the government is partnering with U.S. firm Identity Digital to manage growth and invest proceeds in infrastructure and hurricane resilience. (BBC)
Canadian Professor Debuts 3D Artificial Intelligence Teaching Sidekick
Simon Fraser University is debuting Kia, a 3D digital persona designed to act as an AI sidekick in a first-year course on the history and ethics of artificial intelligence, according to the CBC. While not replacing human staff or grading work, Kia will answer questions, spark debate, and expose students to the promises and pitfalls of AI in education. (CBC)
Alibaba Gains $50 Billion Value After AI Progress Fuels Rally
Alibaba’s Hong Kong shares jumped more than 19% after the company reported triple-digit growth in AI-related revenue and a 26% sales surge in its cloud division, Bloomberg reports. The results highlight Alibaba’s accelerating momentum in China’s post-DeepSeek AI boom and its growing strength against rivals. (Yahoo Finance)
Upcoming Earnings Reports
C3.ai, Inc. (AI)
C3.ai is scheduled to report fiscal Q1 2025 earnings on September 3, with analysts forecasting a loss of $0.81 per share compared to a $0.50 loss in the same quarter last year. The results will be released after market close and reflect expectations from two analysts tracked by Zacks Investment Research. (Nasdaq)
Broadcom Inc. (AVGO)
Broadcom is set to report fiscal Q3 2025 earnings on September 4, with analysts expecting earnings of $1.35 per share compared to $1.02 in the same quarter last year. The results, based on forecasts from 11 analysts tracked by Zacks Investment Research, will be released after market close. (Nasdaq)
Salesforce, Inc. (CRM)
Salesforce, Inc. Common Stock is expected* to report earnings on 09/03/2025 after market close. The report will be for the fiscal Quarter ending Jul 2025. According to Zacks Investment Research, based on 16 analysts’ forecasts, the consensus EPS forecast for the quarter is $2.12. The reported EPS for the same quarter last year was $1.92. (Nasdaq)
AI Research
The Hidden Penalty of Using AI at Work
Harvard Business Review reports a that study of nearly 29,000 software engineers found that AI adoption lags not because of skill gaps but due to a “competence penalty,” where colleagues rate engineers—especially women and older workers—as less capable if they use AI. This stigma has suppressed uptake to just 41% at one leading tech firm, costing hundreds of millions in lost value and reinforcing workplace inequalities. (Harvard Business Review)
AI Policy & Governance
APA Publishes New Policy on Generative AI in Scholarly P ublishing
The American Psychological Association has issued new guidance on generative AI in academic publishing, requiring disclosure of its use in manuscripts while prohibiting AI from being credited as an author. Authors must verify all AI-generated content, cite tools in the methods section, and avoid inputting confidential data, while editors and reviewers are barred from using AI with submissions to protect peer review integrity. (ETIH)
Check out AI Insider every day for the latest in AI and Robotics developments.
