Scott Kirsner

2 weeks ago | masslive.com | Scott Kirsner

Sabrina Mansur wasn’t a known quantity on the Boston artificial intelligence scene when she was named as the inaugural director of the state’s new AI hub on Tuesday. In fact, it was hard to find anyone in the local AI community — venture capitalists, event organizers, analysts or trade association heads — who had met her. But Mansur will now be leading a $100 million initiative, the Massachusetts AI Hub, intended to help build the state’s strength in the rapidly evolving sector.

2 weeks ago | masslive.com | Scott Kirsner

“Wonky,” “chaotic,” “brutal,” and “weird” are just a few of the descriptions being tossed around to describe the Massachusetts job market in mid-2025. Universities like MIT and the UMass Chan Medical School have instituted hiring freezes because of expected cuts in federal research funding. Companies are looking to artificial intelligence tools and offshore contracting as ways to get work done without bringing on new full-time employees.

3 weeks ago | masslive.com | Scott Kirsner

If you’ve fantasized about having your own helper droid since “Star Wars” introduced C-3PO and R2-D2 in 1977, you may want to check out the latest product from Piaggio Fast Forward. Based in Charlestown, Piaggio Fast Forward (PFF) is part of the Italian company that makes Vespa scooters, Piaggio Group. In 2017, PFF launched a two-wheeled cargo-carrying robot called Gita that is able to follow a person around an urban environment, at a top speed of up to six miles per hour.

3 weeks ago | yahoo.com | Scott Kirsner

It’s a strange time to be marking the 250th anniversary of the American Revolution. Back then, some of the main flashpoints related to Britain’s tight grip on commerce in the colonies and taxation without representation. When the King got angry about the boisterous Boston Tea Party, he shut down Boston’s port so that merchants couldn’t import or export goods.

3 weeks ago | masslive.com | Scott Kirsner

It’s a strange time to be marking the 250th anniversary of the American Revolution. Back then, some of the main flashpoints related to Britain’s tight grip on commerce in the colonies and taxation without representation. When the King got angry about the boisterous Boston Tea Party, he shut down Boston’s port so that merchants couldn’t import or export goods.