Name: Robots That Think: Hype, Reality, and the Next Frontier of AI
Start: 2026-06-16T16:30:00+01:00
End: 2026-06-16T19:00:00+01:00
Location: Engine Shed

Robots That Think: Hype, Reality, and the Next Frontier of AI

Join us for an engaging evening of discussion, networking, and insight into one of the most talked-about - and most misunderstood - areas of
About this Event

AI is giving robots new capabilities. But capability and deployment are not the same thing. Advances in perception, learning, and planning often grouped under the term ‘physical AI’ are expanding what robots can attempt in the real world: in warehouses, hospitals, construction sites, and beyond. Yet while the demos are impressive, the gap between what robots can do and what they reliably do in practice remains significant.

Real-world deployment is shaped not just by AI sophistication, but by safety, trust, validation, cost, and how robots integrate with the humans and systems around them. Value is emerging fastest in constrained, repetitive, or hazardous environments but not in general-purpose autonomy.

This panel brings together leading voices from academia, industry, and investment to explore how “physical AI” is reshaping what robots can do and where they can operate next. It aims to cut through the hype and explore where “physical AI” is genuinely creating value, and what's holding it back.

We'll explore some of the most pressing questions at the intersection of AI and robotics, including:

Where has AI genuinely changed what robots can do and where is the real world still winning?
Why is the gap between impressive demos and sustained deployment so persistent?
How do safety, trust, and human oversight shape what actually gets adopted?
What role do simulation, synthetic data, and testing environments play?
Where is physical AI most likely to scale next, and what does the investment landscape look like?
Are humanoid robots the future, or mainly a test case for something else entirely?

This session is essential for anyone interested in the future of automation, AI, and the evolving relationship between humans and intelligent machines. Designed for startups, corporates, academics, investors, and industry practitioners, it will offer informed perspectives, honest debate, and practical insight into how robotics and physical AI are evolving together and what the path from pilot to production looks like.

Whether you're building robotic systems, deploying automation, investing in physical AI, or simply fascinated by where this technology is heading, this session will leave you with a clearer understanding of the opportunities and realities ahead.

Speakers to be announced.