Nvidia veteran says robotics is still in its Lego era
Amulya Vishwanath, now a VC, says robotics has not yet reached its ChatGPT moment.
Research#06
7 years
Time leading Nvidia robotics product marketing
Image: TechCrunch
7 yearsTime leading Nvidia robotics product marketing
The short version
- Amulya Vishwanath spent seven years leading product marketing for Nvidia’s robotics platforms.
- She says robotics is in its “Lego era,” with actuators, robotic hands, software and safety standards still being rebuilt.
- This view runs counter to those who believe a general foundation model will give robotics its “ChatGPT moment.”
- On TechCrunch’s Equity podcast, she discussed where she is writing first checks as founder and managing partner of Techable VC, which invests in physical AI.
Why it matters
The debate over whether a single general foundation model will transform robotics affects where AI research and investment go next. For developers, the view that core building blocks are still being rebuilt suggests the hard problems are hardware, software and safety, not only models.
“robotics is currently in its “Lego era,” with the basic building blocks like actuators, robotic hands, software, and safety standards still being rebuilt.”