Do robots really need legs?

Are humanoid robots the future… or a $100B mistake?Over 100 companies—from Meta to Amazon—are betting big on humanoids. But are we chasing a sci-fi dream that’s not practical or profitable?In this TechFirst episode, I chat with Bren Pierce, robotics OG and CEO of Kinisi Robots. We cover: - Why legs might be overhyped - How LLMs are transforming robots into agents - The real cost (and complexity) of robotic hands - Why warehouse robots work best with wheels - The geopolitical robot arms race between China, the US, and Europe - Hot takes, historical context, and a glimpse into the next 10 years of AI + robotics.Timestamps:0:00 – Are humanoids a dumb idea?1:30 – Why legs might not matter (yet)5:00 – LLMs as the real unlock12:00 – The hand is 50% of the challenge17:00 – Speed limits = compute limits23:00 – Robot geopolitics & supply chains30:00 – What the next 5 years looks likeSubscribe for more on AI, robotics, and tech megatrends.

The future could be much healthier for both farmers and everyone who eats, thanks to farm robots that kill weeds with lasers. In this episode of TechFirst, we chat with Paul Mikesell, CEO of Carbon Robotics, to discuss groundbreaking advancements in agricultural technology. Paul shares updates since our last conversation in 2021, including the launch of LaserWeeder G2 and Carbon's autonomous tractor technology: AutoTractor. LaserWeeder G2 quick facts: - Modular design: Swappable laser “modules” that adapt to different row sizes (80-inch, 40-inch, etc.) - Laser hardware: Each module has 2 lasers; a standard 20-foot machine = 12 modules = 24 lasers - Laser precision: Targets the plant’s meristem (≈3mm on small weeds) with pinpoint accuracy - Weed kill speed: 20–150 milliseconds per weed (including detection + laser fire) - Throughput: 8,000–10,000 weeds per minute (Gen 2, up from ~5,000/min on Gen 1) - Coverage rate: 3–4 acres per hour on the 20-foot G2 model - ROI timeline: Farmers typically achieve payback in under 3 years - Yield impact: Up to 50% higher yields in some conventional crops due to eliminating herbicide damage - Price: Standard 20-foot LaserWeeder G2 = $1.4M, larger models scale from there - Global usage: Units in the U.S. (Midwest corn & soy, Idaho & Arizona veggies) and Europe (Spain, Italy tunnel farming)We chat about how these innovations are transforming weed control and farm management with AI, computer vision, and autonomous systems, the precision and efficiency of laser weeding, practical challenges addressed by autonomous tractors, and the significant ROI and yield improvements for farmers. This is a must-watch for anyone interested in the future of farming and sustainable agriculture.00:00 Introduction to TechFirst and Carbon Robotics01:10 The Science Behind Laser Weeding05:46 Introducing Laser Weeder 2.006:39 Modular System and New Laser Technology09:26 Manufacturing and Cost Efficiency11:47 ROI and Benefits for Farmers13:24 Laser Weeder Specifications14:08 Performance and Efficiency14:49 Introduction to AutoTractor17:23 Challenges in Autonomous Farming18:23 Remote Intervention and Starlink Integration23:23 Future of Farming Technology24:50 Health and Environmental Benefits25:18 Conclusion and Farewell

Can robots reduce herbicide and fertilizer use on farms by up to 90%?Probably yes.In this episode of TechFirst we chat with Verdant Robotics' CEO Gabe Sibley about SharpShooter, the company's state-of-the-art farm tech that precisely targets herbicide and fertilizer application, massively reducing chemical use.That's huge for the environment.It's also huge for farmer's pocketbooks ... because herbicide and fertilizer are increasingly expensive.We dive into: - How Sharpshooter targets plants with pinpoint accuracy — 240 shots per second - Why this approach can save farmers millions in input costs - The environmental benefits for soil, water, and food - How AI and edge computing make split-second farm decisions possible - The future of robotics in agricultureIf you’re interested in agtech, AI, or sustainable farming, this one’s for you.00:00 Introduction to Robotic Farming00:28 Interview with Gabe Sibley, CEO of Verdant Robotics00:50 How Sharpshooter Technology Works02:40 Economic and Environmental Benefits04:59 Technical Specifications and Capabilities11:11 Future of Agricultural Automation11:54 Personal Insights and Motivation16:39 Conclusion and Final Thoughts

Will your next browser be AI-enabled? AI-first? Perhaps even an AI agent?In this episode of TechFirst, John Koetsier sits down with Henrik Lexow, Senior Product Leader at Opera, to explore Opera Neon, a big step toward agentic browsers that think, act, and create alongside you.(And buy stuff you want, simply hard problems, and do some of your work for you.)Opera’s new browser integrates real AI agents capable of executing multi-step tasks, interacting with web apps, summarizing content, and even building playable games or interactive tools, all inside your browser.We chat about • What an agentic browser is and why it matters • How AI agents like Neon Do and Neon Make automate complex workflows • Opera’s vision for personal, on-device, privacy-aligned AI • Live demos of shopping, summarizing, and game creation using AI • Why your browser might replace your operating system🎮 Watch Henrik demo the Neon agent building a Snake game from scratch🛍️ See AI navigate Amazon, add items to cart, and act independently🧠 Learn why context is king and how this changes everything about search, tabs, and multitasking00:00 Introduction: Should Your Browser Be an AI Agent?00:52 The Evolution of AI in Browsers04:53 Introducing Opera's Agentic Browser11:51 Neon: The Future of Browsing20:26 Exploring the Cart Functionality20:53 Future of AI in Shopping22:39 Trust and Privacy in AI25:05 Neon Make: Generative AI Capabilities26:05 Creating a Snake Game with Neon28:33 Analyzing Car Insurance Policies31:58 Sharing and Publishing with Neon35:53 Conclusion and Future Prospects

Can nuclear waste solve the energy crisis caused by AI data centers? Maybe. And maybe much more, including providing rare elements we need like rhodium, palladium, ruthenium, krypto-85, Americium-241, and more.Amazingly:- 96% of nuclear fuel’s energy is left after it's "used"- Recycling can reduce 10,000-year waste storage needs to just 300 years- Curio’s new process avoids toxic nitric acid and extracts valuable isotopes- 1 recycling plant could meet a third of America’s nuclear fuel needs- Nuclear recycling could enable AI, space travel, and medical breakthroughsIn this episode of TechFirst, host John Koetsier talks with Ed McGinnis, CEO of Curio and former Acting Assistant Secretary for Nuclear Energy at the U.S. Department of Energy. McGinnis is on a mission to revolutionize how we think about nuclear waste, turning it into a powerful resource for energy, rare isotopes, and even precious metals like rhodium.Watch now and subscribe for more deep tech insights.

Neura Robotics officially launched shed 4NE-1 this week. It's the leading European humanoid robot and it's the most powerful humanoid robot in existence right, as far as I'm aware, able to life 100kg or 220 pounds.Neura also released a plan to build 5 million robots by 2030, a new home service robot named MiPA, a new 'Omnisensor' technology platform for integrating input from multiple types of sensors, and an app store for robot skills that anyone can contribute to ... and profit from.In this TechFirst, we chat with David Reger, CEO of Neura Robotics, the leading European humanoid robotics company.We touch on advanced sensors, AI integration, and Neura Robotics' platform that enables extensive customization and scalability. We also chat about significant partnerships with companies like NVIDIA, SAP, and Deutsche Telekom.00:00 Introduction to Humanoid Robotics00:22 Interview with Neura Robotics CEO00:39 Launch of '4NE-1' Humanoid Robot02:26 Technical Specifications and Capabilities04:39 Advanced Sensor Technology09:24 Artificial Skin and Touch Sensory14:05 AI Integration in Robotics15:53 Challenges in Embodied AI17:11 Robot Gyms and Training19:10 Partnerships and Collaborations20:56 The App Store for Robot Skills22:18 AI-Assisted Development Platform29:15 Introducing Mepa: The Home Robot31:41 Future Prospects and Closing Remarks

AI is big these days. Massive. More parameters, more memory, more capability. But what if the future is in tiny AI. Neural networks as small at 8 kilobytes on tiny chips, embedded in everything?Think smart shoes.Smart doors.Smart ... everythingIn this episode of TechFirst, host John Koetsier discusses the future of smart devices with Yubei Chen, co-founder of AIzip. The conversation explores how small-scale AI can revolutionize everyday objects like shoes, cameras, and baby monitors. They delve into how edge AI, which operates at the device level rather than in the cloud, can create efficient, reliable, and cost-effective smart solutions. Chen explains the potential and challenges of integrating AI into traditional devices, including the hardware and software requirements, and touches on the implications for product quality, safety, and cost. This insightful discussion provides a look into the near future of ubiquitous, intelligent technology in our daily lives.00:00 Introduction to Smart Matter01:17 Examples of Smart Applications03:40 Building Efficient AI Models04:01 The Future of Edge AI09:32 Hardware for Smart Devices11:52 Potential Downsides and Challenges18:14 Conclusion and Final Thoughts

IBM has just unveiled its boldest quantum computing roadmap yet: Starling, the first large-scale, fault-tolerant quantum computer—coming in 2029. Capable of running 20,000X more operations than today’s quantum machines, Starling could unlock breakthroughs in chemistry, materials science, and optimization.According to IBM, this is not just a pie-in-the-sky roadmap: they actually have the ability to make Starling happen.In this exclusive conversation, I speak with Jerry Chow, IBM Fellow and Director of Quantum Systems, about the engineering breakthroughs that are making this possible ... especially a radically more efficient error correction code and new multi-layered qubit architectures.We cover:- The shift from millions of physical qubits to manageable logical qubits- Why IBM is using quantum low-density parity check (qLDPC) codes- How modular quantum systems (like Kookaburra and Cockatoo) will scale the technology- Real-world quantum-classical hybrid applications already happening today- Why now is the time for developers to start building quantum-native algorithms00:00 Introduction to the Future of Computing01:04 IBM's Jerry Chow01:49 Quantum Supremacy02:47 IBM's Quantum Roadmap04:03 Technological Innovations in Quantum Computing05:59 Challenges and Solutions in Quantum Computing09:40 Quantum Processor Development14:04 Quantum Computing Applications and Future Prospects20:41 Personal Journey in Quantum Computing24:03 Conclusion and Final Thoughts

How will we scale humanoid robot product to hundreds of thousands and millions of units? In this TechFirst we do a deep dive with Apptronik CEO Jeff Cardenas. We chat about Apptronik's Apollo, his recent $400M+ funding round, the partnership with manufacturing giant Jabil, and much more.We also talk about innovations in AI that have accelerated robot learning and dexterous manipulation, the challenge of scaling manufacturing, and Apptronik's future vision.🎙️ Podcast Summary:Topic: The future of humanoid robotics, funding, manufacturing, and the global AI arms raceGuest: Jeff Cardenas, CEO of Apptronik🦾 Apollo Robot Updates • Apollo 1 debuted in 2023; new versions are coming in 2025 with major upgrades. • Focus areas: larger batteries, swappable parts, improved actuators, and system robustness. • Push toward dexterous manipulation, not just lifting boxes—real industrial work.💰 $403 Million Funding Round • Grew from $350M with new investments from Mercedes, Google (DeepMind), B Capital, Capital Factory, and others. • Mercedes’ legacy of precision and design deeply inspires Cardenas. • Funding will fuel scaling, robustness, and manufacturing partnerships.🏭 Manufacturing Strategy • New partnership with global manufacturing giant Jabil. • Learning from Jabil to avoid premature scaling pitfalls. • Long-term plan includes building out their own capability in Texas and Mexico. • Manufacturing flexibility is key amid tariff and geopolitical uncertainty.🌍 The Global Race: US vs. China • Over 100 humanoid robotics companies worldwide; US and China dominate. • China has invested $138B+ into domestic robotics, outpacing the rest of the world in deployment. • Cardenas calls it the “Space Race of Our Time”, emphasizing urgency and national strategy.📅 Roadmap for Humanoids • 2025: Proving commercial viability in industrial/logistics environments. • 2026+: Volume manufacturing begins for industrial use. • Phase 2: Retail, healthcare, hospitality. • Phase 3 (5+ years): Elder care and home robots — Cardenas’ personal North Star.🧠 Vision & Ethics • “Robots for Humans” isn’t just branding—it’s a human-centered design philosophy. • Deep partnership with Google DeepMind ensures AI is developed responsibly. • Apptronik’s mission: build robots that people want around, not fear.💡 Soundbites • “You don’t just build the robot. You build the machine that builds the machine.” • “We want to be the Apple of robots—designed for people.” • “This is the 1980s of humanoid robots—but innovation is 10x faster.”00:00 Introduction to Humanoid Robot Innovation00:31 Apron's Recent Achievements and Funding01:23 Interview with Apptronik CEO, Jeff Cardenas01:46 Advancements in Apollo Humanoid Robot03:47 Challenges in Scaling Robotics07:56 Future Plans and Human-Centered Robotics10:35 Global Race and Investment in Robotics20:03 Meeting Howard Morgan and B Capital20:41 Inspiration from Mercedes-Benz and Steve Jobs22:02 Global Investors and Supporters23:37 Manufacturing Challenges and Strategies29:36 The Global Race in Humanoid Robotics35:39 Timetable for Humanoid Robots39:57 The Future of Humanoid Robots in Elder Care42:22 Closing Remarks and Final Thoughts

Would you want a personal AI that acts as your twin mind? I've always dreamed of never forgetting anything. And instantly and effortlessly remembering anything I need, right away. Now, an AI-driven app called TwinMind might help me do something similar.In this episode of TechFirst we chat with Daniel George, the CEO of TwinMind. This innovative AI app aims to become your second brain, capturing and processing your life events in real-time. We chat about George's inspiration behind TwinMind, its features, future vision, and the LLM tech making it possible. We also chat about privacy and security concerns.00:00 Introduction to AI and Twin Mind00:51 How Twin Mind Works01:37 Real-World Applications and User Experience03:37 Privacy and Security Concerns11:06 Technology Behind Twin Mind15:17 Future of AI and Twin Mind's Vision21:08 Conclusion and Final Thoughts