What Happened

Amulya Vishwanath, a former product marketing lead at NVIDIA, believes that the hype surrounding robotics, powered by a general AI foundation model, has been misplaced. Vishwanath highlights the fact that the basic building blocks of robotics, such as actuators, robotic hands, software, and safety standards, are still being rebuilt from scratch.

This approach contrasts with those who believe that robotics is on the cusp of a major breakthrough, with the technology poised to revolutionize industries such as manufacturing, healthcare, and transportation.

Why It Matters

The current approach to robotics development, which focuses on creating more capable AI models, risks neglecting the crucial foundation elements that have successfully powered previous robotics systems. This approach, according to Vishwanath, could result in a slow and incremental progress within the field.

By focusing on building a robust foundation from scratch, with dedicated efforts to address issues such as safety, reliability, and standardization, robotics can achieve breakthroughs that are currently out of reach.

Context & Background

Robotics has seen significant advancements in recent years, with companies like Google, DeepMind, and Microsoft investing heavily in research and development. However, the field has been hampered by several challenges, including safety concerns, cost limitations, and a lack of standardized protocols.

In recent years, there has been a renewed focus on safety and ethical considerations in robotics development, leading to the establishment of new standards and guidelines. This is crucial to ensure that the technology is used responsibly and does not pose risks to human health and safety.

What to Watch Next

The future of robotics development hinges on finding a balance between pushing the boundaries of AI and ensuring the safety and reliability of the technology. This will require continued collaboration between industry leaders, researchers, and policymakers to establish clear guidelines and standards.

Vishwanath believes that the next decade will see significant breakthroughs in robotics, but that these advancements should not come at the cost of safety and ethical considerations. He emphasizes the need for a more holistic approach to robotics development, where the focus is on building a robust foundation that can support the further advancement of the field.

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Source: TechCrunch – AI | Published: 2026-10-16