AI & RoboticsNews

XDOF, just three months out of stealth, is in talks for a Series B at a $1.2B valuation

September 6, 2026
Less than three months after emerging from stealth, XDOF, a startup that collects real-world teleoperation data for training general-purpose robots, is in late-stage talks to raise a Series B at a valuation of about $1.2 billion valuation led by 8VC, several people with knowledge of the deal said. XDOF was co-founded by UC Berkeley researchers Philipp Wu (CEO) and Fred Shentu (CTO) in 2024.
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Cleantech & EV'sNews

Rivian rolls out RivianOS 2, unifying software across R1 and R2

September 6, 2026
Rivian is rolling out RivianOS 2, the biggest overhaul of its in-car software since the R1 first shipped. For the first time, it puts every vehicle the company sells on a single software stack. The update, version 2026.31, started reaching eligible R1 and R2 vehicles today. It brings a rebuilt interface, Unreal Engine 5 graphics, real-time police and speed-camera alerts, and a deeper AI layer…
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DefenseNews

The Army shut down a specialized drone unit. Legislators want to know why.

September 6, 2026
A bipartisan group of lawmakers is pushing the Army to explain why it is shuttering a specialized drone battalion less than a year after establishing it, a move that comes as conflicts across the world have become increasingly defined by unmanned aerial systems and electronic warfare. The 600-member “Unmanned Assault Battalion,” created as part of the 173rd Airborne Brigade, was charged with…
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GamingNews

Exodus Romance Options Are Not Gender-Locked for Both Male and Female Leads

September 5, 2026
As you’d expect from a space opera RPG that shares many similarties with Mass Effect, the upcoming Exodus from developer Archetype Entertainment has character relationships that you can build through dialogue choices, interactions, and decisions they make. This includes romance options; while you can choose to play as a male or female version of the lead character Jun Aslan, all character…
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