Key facts
- Shield AI CTO Nathan Michael, Waabi founder Raquel Urtasun, and GM Director of Robotics Strategy Mikell Taylor will speak at TechCrunch Disrupt 2026.
- The panel, "Building AI Systems When Failure Is Not an Option," will focus on deploying AI in physical environments where mistakes have significant consequences.
- Topics will include creating a safety culture, system testing and validation, regulatory navigation, and earning trust.
- Shield AI's Hivemind software was selected for the U.S. Air Force's Collaborative Combat Aircraft drone prototype program.
- Shield AI announced $1.5 billion in Series G funding at a $12.7 billion post-money valuation in March.
- Waabi is developing autonomous-driving technology and partnered with Uber to deploy 25,000 robotaxis.
- Waabi uses its Waabi World simulator for training and testing its autonomous driving systems.
- General Motors' Mikell Taylor leads robotics strategy and previously worked on Amazon's Proteus robot.
Leaders from three prominent technology companies will convene at TechCrunch Disrupt 2026 to address the critical challenges of developing and deploying artificial intelligence systems in real-world applications where failure is not an option. The panel, titled "Building AI Systems When Failure Is Not an Option," will feature Nathan Michael, Chief Technology Officer at Shield AI; Raquel Urtasun, founder and CEO of Waabi; and Mikell Taylor, Director of Robotics Strategy at General Motors.
The discussion will delve into the complexities of creating AI for environments such as aircraft, autonomous vehicles, and industrial robots, where mistakes can have severe consequences. Key themes will include fostering a robust safety culture, rigorous testing and validation methodologies, navigating the evolving regulatory landscape, and ultimately, building public and industry trust in autonomous systems.
Shield AI, known for its Hivemind mission autonomy software, has been selected as an autonomy provider for the U.S. Air Force's Collaborative Combat Aircraft drone prototype program. The company also recently announced $1.5 billion in Series G funding, valuing it at $12.7 billion post-money. Urtasun, a veteran in AI and autonomous vehicles, leads Waabi, which is preparing to deploy its autonomous-driving technology, including a partnership with Uber for 25,000 robotaxis. Waabi utilizes its Waabi World simulator for extensive training and testing. Taylor, with over two decades of robotics experience, including a stint leading Amazon Robotics, now guides GM's robotics strategy, focusing on practical, reliable robots that can work alongside humans.