Physical AI Is Exploding. Robot.com Is Betting Big

In this talk

1. 0:53

   From campus delivery to broader robotics

   Robot.com began at UC Berkeley’s SkyDeck accelerator in 2017 and 2018, then grew its Kiwi food-delivery robots to campuses across the U.S. A custom job moving silicon chips showed David that similar robot technology could serve higher-value work, including humanoids and robot dogs.

2. 4:43

   Building robots around unmet needs

   David sees robots helping address labor shortages as populations age. Robot.com aims to start with jobs that are important to people but lack workers, such as carrying items in hospitals. He says adoption depends on helping people feel comfortable working alongside robots.

3. 9:05

   Expanding operations and collecting robotics data

   David says the company is aiming to have 1,000 humanoids operating by mid-2027, with many initially collecting data. Robot.com gathers task-specific physical-world data in controlled factory settings and sells it to model companies developing robotics systems. Its enterprise clients include labor-intensive businesses, and the service often reaches their customers or users.

4. 16:26

   Turning disruption into new uses

   When COVID closures cut off campus business, Robot.com found philanthropic support and adapted its robots to identify sidewalk hazards that could affect wheelchair users and older residents. The company later faced costly component shortages, and David identifies helping people accept new technology as an ongoing challenge.

5. 7:41

   A global company and an open workplace

   David describes Robot.com’s San Francisco office as a place where people can share ideas and build, inspired by a vision of technology and nature coexisting. He says the company works across the U.S., Latin America, Asia, Europe, and the Middle East, and welcomes people with ideas even if they lack technical experience.