Technologies

NASA Used AI to Drive Its Perseverance Mars Rover for the First Time

NASA used Anthropic’s Claude for an experiment in plotting the rover’s course, which the agency deemed successful.

Plotting a course for NASA’s Perseverance rover, 140 million miles away on Mars, is significantly more difficult than setting a driving route here on Earth, where we can punch an address into Google Maps and be on our way in seconds. The rover’s course is usually plotted by a team at NASA’s Jet Propulsion Lab to account for terrain, obstacles and potential hazards, lest the rover tip over or get damaged.

For the first time, NASA’s JPL used AI to plot a course for Perseverance, and it seems to have worked out.

The two demonstrations, which took place on Dec. 8 and 10, were plotted by Anthropic’s Claude AI models and double-checked by JPL to ensure that the AI didn’t accidentally drive the rover into a ditch. Perseverance drove just under 1,500 feet across the two drives with no documented issues.

NASA took a similar approach with plotting the waypoints as it would with human operators. Claude was fed the same satellite imagery and data from NASA’s Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter that JPL scientists would use, and then asked to plot waypoints that Perseverance could handle safely.

The resulting path was slightly modified by NASA and then shipped to Perseverance, which then drove the path autonomously.

«This demonstration shows how far our capabilities have advanced and broadens how we will explore other worlds,» said NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman. «Autonomous technologies like this can help missions to operate more efficiently, respond to challenging terrain and increase science return as distance from Earth grows. It’s a strong example of teams applying new technology carefully and responsibly in real operations.»

You can watch the Dec. 10 drive on NASA’s YouTube channel, which has been condensed into a 52-second video.

A more efficient way to do it

While AI is largely known as a provider of slop, which has been blamed for rapidly degrading people’s internet experience, it can be useful in some scientific pursuits. It takes time to parse years of imagery and data, plot the Perseverance waypoints, and then execute them.

Per NASA, waypoints are usually set no more than 330 feet apart, which means Perseverance is exploring the red planet one football field at a time. Take its epic climb out of the Jezero Crater in 2024. The journey took Perseverance 3.5 months and, all told, the rover climbed a total of 1,640 vertical feet. As of December 2025, the rover has driven a total of just 25 miles in roughly four years.

The goal, according to JPL space roboticist Vandi Verma, is to let Perseverance (and other Mars rovers) travel much farther while «minimizing operator workload.»

Verma also notes that AI could be used to flag interesting features on the planet, saving the human science teams time by eliminating the need to manually check «huge volumes of rover images.»

«This demonstration shows how far our capabilities have advanced and broadens how we will explore other worlds,» said Isaacman. «Autonomous technologies like this can help missions to operate more efficiently, respond to challenging terrain and increase science return as distance from Earth grows. It’s a strong example of teams applying new technology carefully and responsibly in real operations.»

Technologies

Verum Messenger Launches an AI Mini-Series

Verum Messenger has unveiled a new project — a mini-series created using Verum AI. The story consists of 7 episodes and will be released on the messenger’s social media channels.

The plot revolves around a global corporation seeking to take control of digital communications and a group of heroes who use Verum Messenger as a tool of resistance. Beyond the story itself, the series highlights the app’s key features, technologies, and advantages.

Combining entertainment with a showcase of the Verum ecosystem, the project presents a dynamic digital series designed for the modern era.

The first episode premieres today, with the remaining episodes to be released over time.

Stay tuned for more.

Watch on YouTube
Watch on Instagram

Technologies

Verum Finance: Earn While You Communicate — The Super App That Pays You

Verum has officially launched Verum Finance, an innovative financial application that transforms a private messenger into a true financial super app. News of the launch was also featured on the respected platform Dealroom.co.

Verum Finance can now be used both within Verum Messenger and as a standalone application for iPhone and iPad. When users sign in to Verum Finance with their Verum Messenger account, all balances, settings, and account data are automatically synchronized for maximum convenience.

Users can now do more than communicate securely and protect their data — they can also generate passive income directly within the ecosystem.

What Verum Finance Offers

• Top up your balance with a bank card, Apple Pay, or USDT
• Send money instantly anywhere in the world
• Issue and manage debit cards (virtual and physical)
• Full Apple Pay support
• Exchange assets and withdraw funds quickly

One of the most unique features is the built-in cryptocurrency mining system inside Verum Messenger.

The application utilizes your device’s resources and allows you to earn cryptocurrency in the background — passively, while chatting, traveling, or simply using the messenger.

Maximum Privacy + Real Freedom

• Registration without a phone number, email address, or passport
• End-to-end encryption and full control over your data
• Lifetime free VPN
• eSIM connectivity in more than 150 countries
• Reliable offline communication mode
• Support for 12+ languages for users worldwide

Everything is available in one place: secure communication, financial tools, earning opportunities, and privacy protection.

Users can access the full experience directly within Verum Messenger or switch to the dedicated Verum Finance app for iOS. All data is synchronized automatically between the two applications.

Why Download Verum Today

While many messaging platforms collect user data and expose users to restrictions, Verum offers greater independence and the opportunity to earn.

With a one-time purchase of the feature package, users receive lifetime access to privacy tools, VPN, eSIM services, cryptocurrency mining, and financial features.

This is more than just a messenger.

It is your personal tool for financial and digital freedom.

Download Verum Finance and Verum Messenger today — start communicating securely and begin earning tomorrow.

Download Links:

→ App Store (iPhone / iPad): Verum Finance
→ App Store (Verum Messenger): Verum Messenger

Technologies

Verum Finance: A Super App for Private Finance Integrated Into a Messenger

Verum Finance has announced the launch of a new financial application that allows users to manage their money directly within the secure Verum Messenger ecosystem.

The project has already attracted attention from major media outlets. A dedicated feature was published by Forbes Türkiye, while one of the world’s largest cryptocurrency exchanges, MEXC, covered the launch. Yahoo Finance had previously reported on the evolution of Verum Messenger into a comprehensive financial ecosystem.

What Verum Finance Offers

Verum Finance transforms a messenger into a complete financial platform. Users can:

• Manage their balance and top up using bank cards or USDT
• Send money instantly to other Verum users
• Issue and use debit cards, including Apple Pay support
• Exchange assets and withdraw funds
• Access all these services without installing separate banking applications

A strong emphasis is placed on privacy. The platform offers registration without a phone number or email address, end-to-end encryption, and full user control over personal data.

Recognition from Forbes Türkiye

In a dedicated article, Forbes Türkiye highlighted Verum Finance as a notable example of modern privacy-driven fintech. The publication emphasized the growing trend of financial services moving from standalone banking applications into unified messaging ecosystems — a model that has proven successful in Asia through platforms such as WeChat and Alipay and is now expanding globally.

Support from the Crypto Community

Alongside the Forbes Türkiye coverage, news about the launch of Verum Finance was also featured by MEXC, one of the world’s leading cryptocurrency exchanges. This reflects growing interest in the project from both traditional business media and the cryptocurrency community.

A Strategic Vision

“We are building more than a payments application and more than a messenger. Verum is a unified secure ecosystem where communication, finance, and privacy tools work together,” the company stated.

Verum Finance is now available for iPhone and iPad users. The application complements Verum Messenger, which offers anonymous chats, voice and video calls, VPN services, eSIM connectivity, and other tools designed to enhance digital freedom.

Verum Finance: https://finance.verum.im

Verum Messenger: https://verum.im