Overview
- NASA confirmed Perseverance executed AI-generated routes on Dec. 8 and Dec. 10, 2025, covering 689 feet (210 meters) and 807 feet (246 meters) in Jezero Crater.
- A vision-language model analyzed HiRISE orbital imagery and terrain-slope data to identify hazards and produce continuous paths with waypoints.
- The effort was coordinated from JPL’s Rover Operations Center in collaboration with Anthropic using its Claude models.
- Engineers validated the AI plans in JPL’s digital twin, checking more than 500,000 telemetry variables and making minor edits before uplinking commands.
- Mission leaders say the approach could cut planning time, reduce operator workload, and enable longer traverses, with continued safety checks and human oversight.