Key facts
- Robotics has not yet had a breakthrough moment comparable to ChatGPT's impact on AI.
- A key limitation for general-purpose robots is the absence of an internet-wide dataset for physical AI.
- Companies are attempting to create large-scale datasets artificially through simulation and foundation models.
- Nvidia's Les Karpas will discuss these issues at TechCrunch Disrupt 2026.
- Karpas leads Nvidia's relationships with startups in robotics, automotive, manufacturing, and other physical AI sectors.
Robotics is poised for a significant breakthrough, similar to the impact ChatGPT had on artificial intelligence, according to Les Karpas, Nvidia Inception's Global Head of Physical AI. Karpas is scheduled to discuss the current limitations and future opportunities in robotics at TechCrunch Disrupt 2026.
While AI has seen widespread adoption since ChatGPT's debut in November 2022, robotics has yet to achieve a similar level of public integration. Karpas attributes this gap primarily to the lack of comprehensive, internet-scale datasets for physical AI, a challenge that contrasts with the vast datasets available for language models. Companies like Waymo have built extensive datasets for self-driving cars through years of real-world operation, but replicating this for general-purpose robots remains a complex problem.
To address this data deficit, a growing number of startups are leveraging simulation and foundation models trained across various robot forms to generate synthetic data. Karpas will share insights on these efforts and the broader challenges of bridging the digital and physical realms on the Real World AI Stage at the conference.
Nvidia, a company with a strong interest in the robotics field, sees Karpas as a key figure to articulate these challenges. His role involves coordinating relationships with a wide array of startups in robotics, automotive, manufacturing, and smart cities. Karpas's background, which includes roles in architecture, engineering, and venture capital across various industries, provides him with a unique perspective on the interdisciplinary demands of the robotics sector.