Key facts
- TechCrunch Disrupt 2026 will feature a session on using AI to engineer nature's comeback and de-extinction efforts.
- A session titled 'What Happens When OpenAI Ships Your Roadmap' will address the competitive threat AI platforms pose to startups.
- The session on AI and de-extinction will feature Ben Lamm, CEO of Colossal Biosciences.
- Colossal Biosciences uses AI and synthetic biology to explore de-extinction.
- TechCrunch Disrupt 2026 is scheduled for October 13-15 at Moscone West in San Francisco.
TechCrunch Disrupt 2026, set to take place from October 13-15 at Moscone West in San Francisco, will feature discussions on two significant areas: the strategic challenges facing AI startups and the potential of AI in de-extinction efforts.
The event anticipates over 10,000 founders, investors, and operators for more than 250 sessions. One key session, titled 'What Happens When OpenAI Ships Your Roadmap,' will explore the competitive landscape for AI startups, where foundational model companies like OpenAI, Anthropic, and Google are increasingly releasing capabilities that were once differentiators for smaller companies. Speakers include Michel Tricot of Airbyte, Rob Toews of Radical Ventures, and Linda Tong of Webflow, who will discuss how founders can create lasting value and defensibility in an evolving AI ecosystem.
Separately, a session will delve into 'Can We Engineer Nature’s Comeback?', focusing on the use of artificial intelligence and synthetic biology for de-extinction. This discussion will feature Ben Lamm, CEO of Colossal Biosciences, a company actively working on reviving extinct species. The session aims to examine the role of AI in modern biology and the ethical considerations surrounding de-extinction as a conservation tool.