Technology

Anthropic turns to ‘skills’ to make Claude more useful at work

Published

4 hours ago

October 16, 2025

Anthropic turns to ‘skills’ to make Claude more useful at work

AI agents spent years as a concept and then as an experiment. Now, AI companies are devoting even more time and resources than before to make their agents actually useful for end users, whether they’re consumers or professionals.

Anthropic on Thursday announced its next step toward that goal: Skills for Claude. The tool is made up of “folders that include instructions, scripts, and resources that Claude can load when needed to make it smarter at specific work tasks — from working with Excel [to] following your organization’s brand guidelines,” per a release. People can also build their own Skills for Claude relative to their specific jobs and use them across Claude.ai, Claude Code, Anthropic’s API, and the Claude Agent SDK. Box, Rakuten, and Canva have already used the tool, according to the release.

Essentially, the feature is designed to improve Claude’s AI agent capabilities for your work specifically, so you don’t have to spend as much time writing the perfect prompt or referring to past context every time you’re trying to accomplish a task. It’s available to Pro, Max, Team, and Enterprise users.

Brad Abrams, a product lead at Anthropic, told The Verge that “the thing that’s interesting to me about Skills is basically about agents.” He said that Skills as a feature essentially provides organizations building agents a way to teach Claude to do a good job “in their specific context.” He emphasized that it’s not about meeting arbitrary benchmarks — it’s about being able to do the task you need at your own company.

Using an Anthropic layer on top of Claude’s PowerPoint Skill, “I had Claude create me a presentation about how Haiku 4.5 is doing in the market,” Abrams said, adding that Claude created “well-formatted slides that are easy to digest.”

OpenAI, Anthropic, Google, Microsoft, and others have been working toward the goal of actually useful AI agents for years, with executives regularly bringing up agentic AI on earnings calls and redirecting internal resources toward building the tools. To date, though, progress has been largely incremental, with companies fighting to release new feature updates or iterations of agents. (Think: Anthropic’s Computer Use — or OpenAI’s Operator, then Deep Research, and then ChatGPT Agent, which essentially combined the two.)

Anthropic’s news also follows an OpenAI announcement in the same realm earlier this month at the company’s annual DevDay event.

At the event, OpenAI unveiled AgentKit, a group of tools executives said were “designed to help you take agents from prototype to production” and targeted both big companies and individual developers. The example use case OpenAI demonstrated was Albertsons, which runs more than 2,000 US grocery stores, using a custom agent with custom data to create a plan to improve ice cream sales if they were down more than 30 percent. Box, Canva, Evernote, and Ramp were also mentioned as having tried the tool. OpenAI also announced a consumer-facing tool that allows people to work with apps inside ChatGPT, like Zillow and Uber Eats.

Technology

Space startup unveils 1-hour orbital delivery system

Published

5 hours ago

October 16, 2025

Press Room

Space startup unveils 1-hour orbital delivery system

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A Los Angeles-based aerospace startup called Inversion Space has unveiled Arc, its first flagship spacecraft designed to deliver supplies from orbit back to Earth in record time. The reusable reentry vehicle can transport up to 500 pounds of mission-critical cargo to nearly any point on the planet in less than an hour. Founders Justin Fiaschetti and Austin Briggs launched the company in 2021 with a bold vision: to build a space-based logistics network. During an event at the company’s factory, they described Arc as the next evolution of global delivery, one that starts in orbit, not on the ground.

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How the Arc spacecraft delivers cargo from orbit to Earth

Standing about 8 feet tall and 4 feet wide, Arc is roughly the size of a large tabletop. It’s a lifting-body vehicle, meaning it can steer as it reenters the atmosphere. Instead of needing a runway, Arc lands safely under parachutes, using non-toxic propellants that make it safe to handle immediately after landing. The spacecraft features a cross-range of approximately 621 miles, allowing it to target wide landing zones. It can stay in orbit for up to five years, ready to return to Earth when needed. That flexibility means the spacecraft could one day drop off medical supplies, drones or military equipment at hard-to-reach locations.

THE WORLD’S FIRST FLYING CAR IS READY FOR TAKEOFF

Inversion Space unveils its Arc reentry vehicle designed for rapid orbital delivery. (Inversion Space)

A computer shows orbital and navigational diagrams.

Inversion’s Ray mission tested key systems in orbit, paving the way for Arc’s full development. (Inversion Space)

Why Arc’s hypersonic speed could change aerospace testing

Beyond rapid delivery, Arc doubles as a hypersonic testing platform. It can reach speeds over Mach 20, endure extreme heat and survive massive g-forces. Those capabilities have caught the attention of U.S. defense agencies, which are eager to improve hypersonic flight testing. Inversion’s participation in the Kratos-led MACH-TB 2.0 program highlights the growing military interest in Arc’s reusable design. “Fully reusable and capable of precise landings for rapid recovery, Arc makes hypersonic testing faster, repeatable, and more affordable,” the company said.

Arc could deliver mission-critical cargo anywhere on Earth in under an hour. (Inversion Space)

What Inversion learned from its first spacecraft, Ray

Before Arc, Inversion launched a smaller demo craft called Ray on SpaceX’s Transporter-12 mission. Ray weighed about 200 pounds and successfully tested propulsion, avionics and solar power systems in orbit. Though a short circuit prevented reentry, it provided valuable data that led to Arc’s development. Ray’s success convinced the company to push forward with full-scale testing. Inversion has already completed dozens of drop tests and built a full-scale Arc prototype. The startup also partnered with NASA to refine the vehicle’s thermal protection system for reentry.

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How Arc strengthens defense and emergency logistics

Inversion sees Arc as a bridge between space logistics and national defense. The spacecraft could deliver mission-critical cargo to remote, damaged or denied environments where traditional transport would take days. As Fiaschetti put it, the goal is simple: make a difference the moment it lands. By combining maneuverability, reusability and speed, Arc could reshape both emergency response and battlefield supply chains. It’s not just about moving packages, it’s about delivering readiness.

Engineers at Inversion Space test Arc’s reentry systems as the spacecraft moves closer to flight readiness. (Inversion Space)

What this means for you

If Arc succeeds, it could redefine emergency logistics on Earth. Imagine doctors receiving vital medical kits from orbit after a natural disaster, or soldiers getting urgent supplies in minutes instead of hours. Arc could also accelerate scientific research, enabling faster delivery of experimental payloads or orbital materials. For everyday people, this technology represents the next step toward on-demand space infrastructure, where the line between space and Earth logistics begins to blur.

The reusable Arc spacecraft maneuvers through Earth’s atmosphere using parachutes for safe landing. (Inversion Space)

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Kurt’s key takeaways

Inversion Space’s Arc is more than a spacecraft; it’s a bold attempt to turn orbit into a delivery zone. With reusable systems, hypersonic capability and a focus on safety, it might just reshape how we think about time, distance and access.

Would you trust a spacecraft to deliver emergency supplies to your neighborhood in under an hour? Let us know by writing to us at CyberGuy.com.

Kurt “CyberGuy” Knutsson is an award-winning tech journalist who has a deep love of technology, gear and gadgets that make life better with his contributions for Fox News & FOX Business beginning mornings on “FOX & Friends.” Got a tech question? Get Kurt’s free CyberGuy Newsletter, share your voice, a story idea or comment at CyberGuy.com.

Technology

Google’s AI video generator is getting better editing and more audio

Published

16 hours ago

October 16, 2025

Press Room

Google’s AI video generator is getting better editing and more audio

Google is making videos created with the AI filmmaking tool Flow even more realistic — and harder to identify as AI-generated at first glance. The company announced Wednesday that users can add in and change the shadows and lighting of their AI videos. The expanded editing features in Flow are tied to the Veo 3.1 update, also announced on Wednesday, which Google says does a better job of making a video based on the images submitted as a prompt.

Flow users will also be able to generate videos with audio using several of the tool’s new features. Users can make a video with audio based on three reference images that the company calls “Ingredients to Video.” Another feature, called “Frames to Video,” creates a video that bridges a starting image with an ending image, with accompanying audio. The “Scene Extension” feature lets you take the final second of a clip and add on additional generated video up to a minute in length, also with generated audio.

Veo 3.1 costs the same as Veo 3, is available as part of a “paid preview” through Gemini API to developers, and is enabled in the Gemini app.

According to Google, Flow users will soon be able to remove “anything” from a video — the tool will restructure the background and scene to make “it look as though the object was never there.”

Technology

Researchers create revolutionary AI fabric that predicts road damage before it happens

Published

16 hours ago

October 16, 2025

Press Room

Researchers create revolutionary AI fabric that predicts road damage before it happens

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Road crews may soon get a major assist from artificial intelligence. Researchers at Germany’s Fraunhofer Institute have developed a fabric embedded with sensors and AI algorithms that can monitor road conditions from beneath the surface. This smart material could make costly, disruptive road repairs far more efficient and sustainable.

Right now, most resurfacing decisions are based on visible damage. But cracks and wear in the layers below the asphalt often go undetected until it’s too late. That’s where Fraunhofer’s innovation comes in.

How AI road sensors work to prevent costly repairs

The system uses a fabric made from flax fibers interwoven with ultra-thin conductive wires. These wires detect minute changes in the asphalt base layer, signaling potential damage before it reaches the surface.

THE ROAD TO PROSPERITY WILL BE PAVED BY AUTONOMOUS TRUCKING

Fraunhofer researchers test AI sensors that detect road damage beneath the surface. (Fraunhofer Institute)

Once the fabric is laid under the road, it continuously collects data. A connected unit on the roadside stores and transmits this data to an AI system that analyzes it for early warning signs. As vehicles pass over the road, the system measures changes in resistance within the fabric. These changes reveal how the base layer is performing and whether cracks or strain are forming beneath the surface.

Why AI road monitoring matters for future maintenance

Traditional road inspection methods rely on drilling or taking core samples, which are destructive, costly and only provide information for a small section of pavement. This AI-driven system eliminates the need for that kind of invasive testing.

Instead of reacting to surface damage, transportation agencies could predict and prevent deterioration before it becomes expensive to fix. The approach could extend road life, cut down on traffic delays and help governments spend infrastructure funds more efficiently.

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Close-up of new asphalt layer over smart flax-fiber fabric used to detect stress and cracks in roads.

The smart flax-fiber fabric measures stress changes in asphalt to spot cracks early. (Fraunhofer Institute)

How AI and sensor data predict road damage early

The real power comes from combining AI algorithms with continuous sensor feedback. Fraunhofer’s machine-learning software can forecast how damage will spread, helping engineers prioritize which roads need maintenance first. Data from the sensors is displayed on a web-based dashboard, offering a clear visual of road health for local agencies and planners.

The project, called SenAD2, is currently being tested in an industrial zone in Germany. Early results suggest the system can identify internal damage without disrupting traffic or damaging the road itself.

What this means for you

Smarter road monitoring could lead to fewer potholes, smoother commutes and less taxpayer money wasted on inefficient repairs. If adopted widely, cities could plan maintenance years in advance, avoiding the cycle of patchwork fixes that often make driving a daily headache.

For drivers, it means less time sitting in construction zones. For local governments, it means better roads built on data, not guesswork.

WILL AUTONOMOUS TRUCKS REPLACE DRIVERS BY 2027?

San Francisco public workers repair pothole

San Francisco Department of Public Works worker Chris Solorzano uses a grading rake to smooth over asphalt as he repairs a pothole on March 24, 2023, in San Francisco. (Justin Sullivan/Getty Images)

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Kurt’s key takeaways

This breakthrough shows how AI and materials science are merging to solve real-world infrastructure challenges. While the system won’t make roads indestructible, it can make maintaining them smarter, safer and more sustainable.

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Would you trust AI to decide when and where your city repaves the roads? Let us know by writing to us at Cyberguy.com.