TechCrunch Disrupt 2026’s new Real World AI Stage features
TechCrunch Disrupt 2026’s new Real World AI Stage features
Key Highlights
- At our past TechCrunch Disrupt events, AI has taken center stage, both throughout our programming and in a stage of its own.
- This year, the technology, implications, and players are so rapidly developing and widespread that we’re expanding the single AI stage into two!
- On this stage, we’ll be focusing on that intersection between the digital and physical, and all the ways we’ll continue to see a blending of the two, as autonomous hardware goes beyond self-driving cars and enters public spaces, battlefields, our homes, and even potentially helps extinct species reenter Earth.
This year's TechCrunch Disrupt event promises to be the most immersive yet, with AI taking center stage for the first time in two stages.
The intersection of digital and physical worlds will be a major focus, as autonomous hardware expands beyond self-driving cars into public spaces, battlefields, homes, and even potentially extinct species being reintroduced to Earth.
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Wave startups racing close data
A new wave of startups is racing to close the data gap that experts believe is holding back general-purpose robotic intelligence. Large language models have dominated the internet, while self-driving cars have millions of hours of road data – but robots lack this crucial piece of information.
Les Karpas, Head of Physical AI at Nvidia, will lead a session discussing what triggers the "ChatGPT moment" for physical AI and how close we are to achieving it. The stakes are high when AI enters the physical world, with potential consequences ranging from grounded aircraft crashes to compromised missions.
Founders building autonomous vehicles, defense technologies, and industrial systems will share their insights on creating a safety culture, testing and validating AI, navigating regulatory hurdles, and earning trust in high-stakes industries. Ben Lamm, CEO of Colossal Biosciences, will also join the conversation about reviving extinct species using AI.
Leaders from defense, space, and industrial AI will share their experiences building AI systems that operate at the edge – where latency matters, connectivity is limited, and failure isn't an option. Practical lessons on architectural principles, design decisions, and trade-offs will be shared to make AI-centric systems work in the real world.
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Scaling deep tech startups from prototype to production is a daunting task, with many failing due to misunderstandings about what it takes to bring products to market. This session brings together founders who have successfully crossed this gap, sharing their lessons learned and insights on navigating supply chains and manufacturing realities.
The startup community will gather to discuss how to build sustainably in the AI era, a pivotal question that requires careful consideration of technology, environment, and social responsibility.
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Tech journalist and AI enthusiast who enjoys keeping up with the latest in hardware, processors, emerging AI tools, and software. I like digging into new technology, understanding how things actually work, and following the developments that could shape the way we use technology in the future.
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