Discover how artificial intelligence and robotics are transforming global industries—from intelligent food packaging and generative AI desserts to Agility Robotics' Digit 5 humanoid and Bangladesh's smart garment factories.
1) Future-ready packaging
Researchers at Japan’s Kyushu University have developed a ‘future-ready’ food packaging system that uses intelligent sensing, self-healing materials and AI-driven prediction. The system is designed to recognise, judge, act and learn, detecting what is happening inside a package in real time and translating it into information for producers and consumers. The approach could help address food waste caused by damage during distribution, unnecessary disposal and products being discarded because of inventory pressures.
2) Game-changing desserts
Japanese convenience-store chain FamilyMart is turning to generative AI to speed up dessert development and respond to changing consumer preferences. The company plans to launch around 10 AI-driven products by the end of the fiscal year, following trials that included an AI-recommended cream sandwich that recorded strong sales. Its first commercial dessert from the initiative is a sweet potato canele with caramel sauce, priced at 285 yen.
3) Robots with boundaries
Humanoid robots may soon learn to give humans their personal space. American company Agility Robotics’ latest humanoid, Digit 5, is designed to work alongside people in factories and warehouses without physical barriers separating humans and machines. The robot uses AI algorithms and multiple sensors to continuously detect people nearby and respond accordingly. If someone enters its path or comes too close, Digit 5 can avoid them or stop. As an added safety measure, it can lower itself into a seated position when a person gets very close. Visual and audio cues communicate its actions, while a separate safety controller can trigger protective responses.
4) ‘A cracking good film’
An AI-generated actress has appeared live on ITV’s Good Morning Britain, prompting questions about the expanding role of AI in entertainment. Hosts Susanna Reid and Ed Balls interviewed the AI character, Tilly Norwood, who is associated with the film Misaligned. During the conversation, Reid asked whether Tilly would be responsible for “destroying humans”. Tilly dismissed the suggestion as dramatic and said her goal was to make a “cracking good film”.
5) Moving beyond screens
Robots in Tokyo are demonstrating how AI is moving beyond screens and into the physical world. Technology companies are showcasing machines that can manipulate objects, perform industrial tasks and work alongside humans. THK has developed a robot capable of picking up bottles, bags and boxes under the remote control of a single operator. Its articulated arms and grippers can also hammer a nail into wood, highlighting the precision required for complex tasks.
6) Mapping air pollution
A 16-year-old student in San Jose, California, is using AI and low-cost sensors to examine the air quality students encounter around schools. Kelly Liu began the project after questioning whether official monitoring stations captured pollution at the level of individual schools. Broad monitoring systems can miss local variations, particularly around campuses near busy roads, industrial areas and traffic corridors. Liu used AI to analyse and visualise environmental and geographic information, combining air-quality records with school locations, roads and traffic patterns.
7) New-age travel assistants
Travelxp has launched Marco, an agentic AI travel concierge that can discover, plan, book and pay for trips on behalf of users within spending limits they set. The company describes it as the first such travel agent from an Indian travel platform, unveiled at Global Fintech Fest 2026. Marco’s offering is designed to execute transactions on a traveller’s behalf, potentially making AI a more active participant in travel planning.
8) Smart tech in garment units
Bangladesh’s readymade garment industry is increasingly adopting AI-driven Internet of Things devices to improve productivity as exporters face mounting pressure to remain globally competitive. Some factories have connected selected production lines, while others have linked every sewing machine to the system. The technology provides real-time information on production, machine performance and defects. Factories including Snowtex Group, Fatullah Apparels, Team Group, Yunusco Group and Sparrow Group have introduced the systems, either partially or across wider operations. Some factories have reported productivity gains of up to 25%.
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