For the first Tech Tuesday of 2026, mining and resources companies from around the world are focusing on artificial intelligence (AI), including PowerBank Corporation (NASDAQ:SUUN) which confirms its Genesis-1 satellite is operating in orbit.
The satellite marks Smartlink AI’s first step toward building an orbital cloud network – an architecture where AI compute, connectivity, and blockchain-verified processing occur directly in low-Earth orbit.
Genesis-1 demonstrates the technical feasibility of deploying and running an AI model directly in orbit. By processing data onboard the satellite rather than relying exclusively on ground-based data centres, the company says this milestone provides proof for Smartlink AI’s approach to on-orbit computing.
The projected size of the global satellite market by 2032 is US$615 billion. Additional opportunities span orbital infrastructure, in-orbit data centres and satellite data services, representing a combined market potential of US$115.65 billion over the next decade.
As Mining.com.au reported on the eighth day of Christmas, AI is rapidly becoming one of mining’s most-talked about and powerful tools.
In S&P Global Energy’s latest Horizons Top Trends report for 2026, AI uptake is set to soar as demand rises – testing grid limits, revenue models, and sustainability goals. Potential demand is expected to reach over 2,200 terawatts per hour – roughly equivalent to India’s total energy consumption.
In December 2025, PowerBank and Smartlink AI deployed the Genesis-1 satellite which was recorded to be operating and producing solar power as it moved around earth.
Smartlink AI is targeting a second satellite launch in Q1 2026, with additional launches planned thereafter as the network continues to expand.
PowerBank expects to continue as a partner throughout the expansion phases of the Orbital AI Project, with the company’s solar energy and thermal control contributions anticipated to become increasingly significant as satellite payloads scale to accommodate higher computational loads and more sophisticated AI inference capabilities.
Creating an AI-driven ecosystem
On the mining services end, Caterpillar (NYSE:CAT) has expanded its collaboration with NVIDIA (NASDAQ:NVDA) to drive innovation across industries through next-generation AI-enhanced customer solutions and manufacturing systems.
The engagement intends to transform how work gets done for Caterpillar’s customers, dealers, and employees.
As part of the collaboration, Caterpillar is investing to equip its assets for an AI-enabled future through the NVIDIA Jetson Thor platform. The platform enables real-time AI interference on Caterpillar construction, mining, and power equipment.
Caterpillar says the upgrades ensure assets are ready for AI-assisted and potentially autonomous operations.
The in-cab AI features include an intelligent operator assistant that provides customers with personalised insights to help lead with confidence and speed. Cat fleets will also be powered with AI, machine learning, computer vision, and edge computing that process sensor data in real-time and serve as a digital nervous system for customers’ job sites.
Caterpillar’s Cat AI Assistant, built using NVIDIA Riva open speed models, will answer questions and provide personalised recommendations on equipment, parts, and maintenance.
The company is also using NVIDIA AI Factory to transform manufacturing and supply and to create safer, leaner, more resilient production systems. Caterpillar’s manufacturing digital data platform takes advantage of this accelerated AI infrastructure and NVIDIA AI libraries to automate and accelerate important manufacturing processes.
Ensuring AI is responsible
Meanwhile, the Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation (CSIRO) is building safety, security, privacy, and reliability into AI systems to ensure the transformation of AI happens safely and responsibly.
Late last year, CSIRO’s Responsible AI (RAI) team published Engineering AI Systems, a practical guide to navigating the complexities of designing and operating AI systems. The guide shows how responsible AI works in practice, using the same approach CSIRO researchers and engineers apply when building AI systems.
“People need to be able to check AI outputs and question decisions that affect their lives, particularly in critical sectors such as healthcare, finance and national security,” Acting Research Director Dr Qinghua Lu says.
CSIRO is also partnering with the Audit Office of New South Wales to explore how AI can support government auditing and decision-making.
The collaboration combined AI tools with established audit oversight practices to inform how people can supervise AI systems and ensure its used responsibly.
Data from Austrade’s Australian AI Industry Capability Report reveals that more than 50% of organisations are using AI, while almost half of Australians have used generative AI – outpacing the US and UK.
Write to Aaliyah Rogan at Mining.com.au
Images: PowerBank, Caterpillar, CSIRO
