Percepto launched Axion, a hardware-agnostic AI platform designed for infrastructure inspection. The platform, introduced on October 27, 2026, draws on over 160 specialized AI models trained on more than 100,000 hours of real-world autonomous inspection data. It works with data from third-party drones, fixed sensors, and existing inspection archives, targeting operators of power grids, oil and gas facilities, and industrial sites. Percepto also secured a multi-year contract with a leading U.S. energy company for transmission line inspections.
Axion organizes inspection data by asset and combines AI models with historical trends and expert workflows. Operators can ask questions in plain language and receive recommendations from platform data. The Ranger drone portfolio and Harbor autonomous station supply fresh data to the platform. CEO David Bellanger led a new leadership team that includes Chief Revenue Officer Kurt Nantkes and Chief Marketing Officer Amir Khoshniyati.
In other AI news, Sherry Turkle's new book Artificial Intimacy examines the growing dependence on AI chatbots for emotional connection. Published in 2026 by Little, Brown and Company, the 288-page book draws on over 40 years of research. Turkle describes cases of people who prefer talking to ChatGPT over friends or loved ones and declares a state of emergency over artificial intimacy replacing real human attachment.
AI is also reshaping how businesses think about growth and hiring. Frequent AI users estimated savings equal to 16% of annual revenue from avoiding outside help, but they also estimated losing 6.7% of revenue as customers use AI instead of buying their services. Meanwhile, 23% of small businesses gained customers seeking human-delivered work, and 14% attracted business by correcting AI-generated output.
On the legal front, the rise of AI in legal work challenges the traditional apprenticeship model for training young lawyers. Firms that rely on AI to replace junior lawyers' foundational tasks risk losing clients long term. AI can actually strengthen training by making legal reasoning more visible for review and feedback, but core skills like independent thinking and careful analysis remain essential despite AI advances.
Security researcher log4j claims Samsung Smart TVs monitor audio, screenshots, and viewing habits to support targeted advertising. Features for audio categorization, screen-content recognition, and network mapping were found in the Tizen operating system. The claims suggest audio collection may work through connected devices even when the TV has no built-in microphone. Samsung has not publicly responded to the specific findings.
Experts say frontier AI models help companies find security weaknesses faster but also empower attackers. Recent attacks and conference discussions stress the need for cyber resilience, data integrity, and AI governance. Experts warn that quantum computing and agentic AI could break current encryption, and organizations are urged to prepare for attacks that may arrive without warning. Some businesses are pulling back from AI due to low returns and rising costs, but CISOs cannot afford to stop using AI in security operations, as attackers already use AI to speed up reconnaissance and automate attacks.
Key Takeaways
- <ul><li>Percepto launched Axion, a hardware-agnostic AI platform with over 160 specialized models trained on 100,000+ hours of inspection data</li><li>Axion supports plain-language queries and integrates with third-party drones, fixed sensors, and existing inspection archives</li><li>Percepto secured a multi-year contract with a leading U.S. energy company for transmission line inspections</li><li>CEO David Bellanger leads a new leadership team including Kurt Nantkes and Amir Khoshniyati</li><li>Sherry Turkle's book Artificial Intimacy warns that dependence on ChatGPT and AI chatbots is replacing real human attachment</li><li>Frequent AI users save 16% of annual revenue but lose an estimated 6.7% as customers turn to AI instead of buying services</li><li>23% of small businesses gained customers seeking human-delivered work, while 14% attracted business by correcting AI output</li><li>Samsung Smart TVs allegedly use AI-driven audio and screenshot tracking for targeted advertising via the Tizen OS</li><li>Frontier AI models help find security weaknesses but also empower attackers, with quantum and agentic AI threatening current encryption</li><li>CISOs are urged to maintain AI in security operations despite business pullback, as attackers already use AI for reconnaissance</li></ul>
Percepto launches Axion, a hardware-agnostic AI platform
Percepto launched Axion on October 27, 2026, a software-as-a-service platform that uses over 160 specialized AI models. It is trained on more than 100,000 hours of real-world autonomous inspection data. The platform works with data from third-party drones, fixed sensors, and existing inspection archives. It targets operators of power grids, oil and gas facilities, and industrial sites. Percepto also won a multi-year contract with a leading U.S. energy company for transmission line inspections.
Percepto launches Axion Physical AI platform for infrastructure
Percepto released Axion as a hardware-agnostic Physical AI platform for mission-critical operators. It organizes inspection data by asset and combines AI models with historical trends and expert workflows. Operators can ask questions in plain language and get recommendations from platform data. The Ranger drone portfolio and Harbor autonomous station provide fresh data for the platform. CEO David Bellanger led a new leadership team with Chief Revenue Officer Kurt Nantkes and Chief Marketing Officer Amir Khoshniyati.
AI deepens need for better lawyer training
The rise of AI in legal work challenges the traditional apprenticeship model for training young lawyers. Firms that rely on AI to replace junior lawyers' foundational tasks risk losing clients long term. AI can actually strengthen training by making legal reasoning more visible for review and feedback. The article argues that firms must train lawyers for the future, not the past. Core skills like independent thinking and careful analysis remain essential despite AI advances.
AI changes the link between business growth and hiring
AI is breaking the traditional pattern where business growth requires hiring more employees. Frequent AI users estimated savings equal to 16% of annual revenue from avoiding outside help. However, they also estimated losing 6.7% of revenue as customers use AI instead of buying their services. The report found that 23% of small businesses gained customers seeking human-delivered work. Another 14% attracted business by correcting AI-generated output.
Sherry Turkle examines dangers of AI companionship in new book
Sherry Turkle's new book Artificial Intimacy explores the growing dependence on AI chatbots for emotional connection. The book was published in 2026 by Little, Brown and Company and spans 288 pages. Turkle draws on over 40 years of research and interviews from the 1970s to today. She describes cases of people who prefer talking to ChatGPT over friends or loved ones. Turkle declares a state of emergency over artificial intimacy replacing real human attachment.
Biological age and AI could transform precision medicine
A commentary argues that using biological age instead of chronological age can improve health care. New tools like epigenetic clocks and plasma protein models measure organ-specific aging. Artificial intelligence platforms such as Biolearn may help standardize these measurements. The authors call for better training and multi-omic frameworks to guide decisions like surgery eligibility.
Samsung Smart TVs allegedly use AI to track users for ads
Security researcher log4j claims Samsung Smart TVs monitor audio, screenshots, and viewing habits to support targeted advertising. The researcher found features for audio categorization, screen-content recognition, and network mapping in the Tizen operating system. The claims suggest audio collection may work through connected devices even when the TV has no built-in microphone. Samsung has not publicly responded to the specific findings.
AI makes cybersecurity both stronger and more dangerous
Experts say frontier AI models help companies find security weaknesses faster but also empower attackers. Recent attacks and conference discussions stress the need for cyber resilience, data integrity, and AI governance. Experts also warn that quantum computing and agentic AI could break current encryption. Organizations are urged to prepare for attacks that may arrive without warning.
Five lessons for teams using AI in software development
This article offers guidance for DevSecFinOps teams adopting AI in large-scale development. It warns that cognitive debt can grow when developers approve AI-generated code without understanding it. The author recommends treating token costs as a key metric and using hierarchical multi-agent setups. The piece also advises replacing rigid phase gates with live security checks.
AI-generated video falsely showed Palestinian flag at Eiffel Tower
During protests in France in October 2026, an AI-generated video was shared falsely claiming protesters flew the Palestinian flag from the Eiffel Tower. The clip had previously been shared with an AI disclaimer. Analysis found visual inconsistencies indicating the content was synthetic. The video was identified by AFP Fact Check as misinformation.
CISOs must keep AI in security despite business pullback
Some businesses are pulling back from AI because they see low returns and rising costs. But CISOs cannot afford to stop using AI in security operations. Attackers already use AI to speed up reconnaissance and automate attacks. Security leaders should build a security-specific business case and separate defensive AI from general AI tools. Experts say companies will likely move toward a human-full model rather than going AI-free.
Sources
- Percepto Launches Axion, a Hardware-Agnostic AI Platform for Drone Inspection Data
- Percepto Launches Axion, a Hardware-Agnostic Physical AI Platform
- AI Rise Paradoxically Deepens the Imperative for Lawyer Training
- AI Breaks the Traditional Relationship Between Business Growth and Hiring
- I Require a You | Los Angeles Review of Books
- The use of biological age and artificial intelligence in health care
- Security Researcher Claims Samsung Smart TVs Use AI To Monitor Audio, Screenshots, and Viewing Habits For Targeted Ads
- Cybersecurity in the AI era: Why cyber resilience matters
- Architecting AI-SDLC: Five Lessons For DevSecFinOps Teams
- Video of Palestinian flag flying from Eiffel Tower is AI-generated
- Some businesses are pulling back from AI. CISOs can’t afford to
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