The stakes of AI in the real world

An AI chatbot giving a bad answer is one problem. An AI system controlling an aircraft, vehicle, or robot creates an entirely different kind of problem. A mistake can ground an aircraft, cause a vehicle crash, or compromise a mission.

Three leaders tackle the question

At TechCrunch Disrupt 2026, Shield AI's chief technology officer Nathan Michael, Waabi founder and CEO Raquel Urtasun, and General Motors' Director of Robotics Strategy Mikell Taylor will discuss building AI systems when failure is not an option.

What the conversation will cover

The session will explore creating a safety culture, testing and validating systems, navigating regulatory hurdles, and earning trust when deploying AI where the stakes are high.

Nathan Michael at Shield AI

Nathan Michael leads development and deployment of Hivemind, Shield AI's platform-agnostic mission autonomy software. His background spans AI, control, perception, and multi-robot systems, including years at Carnegie Mellon University's Robotics Institute.

Shield AI's military milestone

In February, Hivemind was selected as an autonomy provider for the U.S. Air Force's Collaborative Combat Aircraft drone prototype program. A month later, Shield AI announced one point five billion dollars in Series G funding at a twelve point seven billion dollar post-money valuation.

Raquel Urtasun's autonomous driving work

Raquel Urtasun has spent twenty-five years working in AI and autonomous vehicles. Before founding Waabi, she served as chief scientist and head of R and D at Uber ATG and is a professor of computer science at the University of Toronto.

Waabi's billion-dollar partnership

In January, Waabi raised one billion dollars and announced a partnership with Uber to support the deployment of twenty-five thousand or more Waabi Driver-powered robotaxis. Testing and validation are central to Waabi's approach through its Waabi World simulator.

Mikell Taylor's robotics leadership

Mikell Taylor has spent more than two decades building robots designed to do useful work. She leads robotics strategy for General Motors' Autonomous Robotics Center and previously led the Amazon Robotics team that developed Proteus, Amazon's first autonomous mobile robot.

The human element in robotics

Taylor's experience highlights a fundamental challenge in real-world robotics: user experience and adoption must be considered from the start as part of product design and deployment planning. Robots must be practical, reliable, and able to work effectively around people.

Disrupt 2026 details and scope

The session is one of two hundred plus across six industry stages at TechCrunch Disrupt, taking place October thirteen to fifteen at Moscone West in San Francisco. More than ten thousand founders, investors, operators, and tech leaders are expected, along with two hundred fifty plus speakers.

When almost ready is not enough

For founders and technology leaders building autonomous systems, the session offers a chance to compare how leaders in defense, autonomous driving, and industrial robotics approach the decisions that stand between a promising system and one that's ready for the real world.

“almost ready isn't enough”