<a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/amulyavishwanath/">Amulya Vishwanath</a>, who spent seven years leading product marketing for NVIDIA’s robotics platforms, says robotics is currently in its “Lego era,” with the basic building blocks like actuators, robotic hands, software, and safety standards still being rebuilt. 
This view runs counter to those who believe that robotics, powered by a general foundation model, is about to have its “ChatGPT moment” — that day when the shockingly capable chatbot was launched in late 2022. (General Intuition CEO Pim de Witte <a href="https://techcrunch.com/video/why-this-ceo-thinks-video-games-make-better-training-data-than-the-internet/">told Equity</a> earlier this year that a single general foundation model would make much of today’s specialized robotics work redundant, and be that moment.) 
On this episode of TechCrunch’s <a href="https://techcrunch.com/podcasts/equity/">Equity</a> podcast, Dominic-Madori Davis caught up with Vishwanath to discuss where she’s writing first checks as the founder and managing partner of <a href="https://techable.vc/">Techable VC.</a> They also talked about what she’s learned as one of the first women executives to spin out of Nvidia and launch her own early-stage firm investing in physical AI across robotics, materials science, and life sciences. 
Listen to the full episode to hear more about: 
<ul>
 <li>Why Vishwanath defines physical AI as more than robots: “a molecule, a material, a medicine,” or a machine on a factory line. 
</li>
</ul>
<ul>
 <li>What she means by “conscious automation.”  
</li>
</ul>
<ul>
 <li>Why the best opportunities solve big problems like family-run factories that can't find workers to surgeons facing burnout. 
</li>
</ul>
<ul>
 <li>Why she wants founders to see their VC as their moat, and how years at NVIDIA built the network she now uses for due diligence and customer introductions. 
</li>
</ul>
<ul>
 <li>Where she thinks the U.S. and China each have the edge, and why humanoids should be good for more than dancing. 
</li>
</ul>
Subscribe to Equity on<a href="https://www.youtube.com/@TechCrunch"> YouTube</a>,<a href="https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/id1215439780"> Apple Podcasts</a>,<a href="https://overcast.fm/itunes1215439780/equity"> Overcast</a>,<a href="https://open.spotify.com/show/5IEYLip3eDppcOmy5DmphC?si=rZDFHv2sQUul_g94iCRgpQ"> Spotify</a> and all the casts. You can also follow Equity on<a href="https://twitter.com/EquityPod"> X</a> and<a href="https://www.threads.net/@equitypod"> Threads</a>, at @EquityPod. 
Chapters: 
00:00 Intro 
01:03 Amulya’s path from Intel to Nvidia, and why she left 
04:39 What physical AI meant in 2018 vs. now 
06:12 Beyond dancing robots: industrial and surgical use cases 
09:31 What “conscious automation” means 
12:12 Cutting through the hype: the “Lego era” of robotics 
16:43 Why your VC should be your moat 
20:30 Biggest bottlenecks for physical AI founders 
22:30 U.S. vs. China in physical AI 
25:43 Are humanoids just for entertainment? 
28:10 The most promising near-term areas 
29:22 Outro   Learn more about your ad choices. Visit <a href="https://megaphone.fm/adchoices">megaphone.fm/adchoices</a>

Amulya Vishwanath, who spent seven years leading product marketing for NVIDIA’s robotics platforms, says robotics is currently in its “Lego era,” with the basic building blocks like actuators, robotic hands, software, and safety standards still being rebuilt. This view runs counter to those who believe that robotics, powered by a general foundation model, is about to have its “ChatGPT moment” — that day when the shockingly capable chatbot was launched in late 2022. (General Intuition CEO Pim de Witte told Equity earlier this year that a single general foundation model would make much of today’s specialized robotics work redundant, and be that moment.) On this episode of TechCrunch’s Equity podcast, Dominic-Madori Davis caught up with Vishwanath to discuss where she’s writing first checks as the founder and managing partner of Techable VC. They also talked about what she’s learned as one of the first women executives to spin out of Nvidia and launch her own early-stage firm investing in physical AI across robotics, materials science, and life sciences. Listen to the full episode to hear more about: Why Vishwanath defines physical AI as more than robots: “a molecule, a material, a medicine,” or a machine on a factory line. What she means by “conscious automation.” Why the best opportunities solve big problems like family-run factories that can't find workers to surgeons facing burnout. Why she wants founders to see their VC as their moat, and how years at NVIDIA built the network she now uses for due diligence and customer introductions. Where she thinks the U.S. and China each have the edge, and why humanoids should be good for more than dancing. Subscribe to Equity on YouTube, Apple Podcasts, Overcast, Spotify and all the casts. You can also follow Equity on X and Threads, at @EquityPod. Chapters: 00:00 Intro 01:03 Amulya’s path from Intel to Nvidia, and why she left 04:39 What physical AI meant in 2018 vs. now 06:12 Beyond dancing robots: industrial and surgical use cases 09:31 What “conscious automation” means 12:12 Cutting through the hype: the “Lego era” of robotics 16:43 Why your VC should be your moat 20:30 Biggest bottlenecks for physical AI founders 22:30 U.S. vs. China in physical AI 25:43 Are humanoids just for entertainment? 28:10 The most promising near-term areas 29:22 Outro Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

<a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/amulyavishwanath/" rel="noopener noreferrer">Amulya Vishwanath</a>, who spent seven years leading product marketing for NVIDIA’s robotics platforms, says robotics is currently in its “Lego era,” with the basic building blocks like actuators, robotic hands, software, and safety standards still being&nbsp;rebuilt.&nbsp;
This view runs counter to those who believe that robotics, powered by a general foundation model,&nbsp;is about to have its “ChatGPT moment”&nbsp;— that day when&nbsp;the shockingly capable chatbot was launched&nbsp;in late&nbsp;2022. (General Intuition CEO Pim de Witte&nbsp;<a href="https://techcrunch.com/video/why-this-ceo-thinks-video-games-make-better-training-data-than-the-internet/" rel="noopener noreferrer">told Equity</a>&nbsp;earlier this year that&nbsp;a&nbsp;single general foundation model would make much of today’s specialized robotics work&nbsp;redundant,&nbsp;and&nbsp;be&nbsp;that&nbsp;moment.)&nbsp;
On this episode of TechCrunch’s&nbsp;<a href="https://techcrunch.com/podcasts/equity/" rel="noopener noreferrer">Equity</a>&nbsp;podcast, Dominic-Madori Davis caught up with Vishwanath to discuss where she’s writing first checks as the founder and managing partner&nbsp;of&nbsp;<a href="https://techable.vc/" rel="noopener noreferrer">Techable VC.</a>&nbsp;They also talked about what she’s&nbsp;learned as one of the first women executives to spin out of Nvidia&nbsp;and&nbsp;launch her own early-stage firm investing in physical AI across robotics, materials science, and life sciences.&nbsp;
Listen to the full episode to hear more about:&nbsp;
<ul>
 <li>Why&nbsp;Vishwanath&nbsp;defines physical AI as more than robots: “a molecule, a material, a medicine,” or a machine on a factory&nbsp;line.&nbsp;
</li>
</ul>
<ul>
 <li>What she means by “conscious automation.”&nbsp;&nbsp;
</li>
</ul>
<ul>
 <li>Why the best opportunities&nbsp;solve big problems&nbsp;like&nbsp;family-run factories that&nbsp;can't&nbsp;find workers&nbsp;to surgeons facing&nbsp;burnout.&nbsp;
</li>
</ul>
<ul>
 <li>Why she wants founders to see their VC as their moat, and how years at NVIDIA built the network she now uses for due diligence and customer introductions.&nbsp;
</li>
</ul>
<ul>
 <li>Where she thinks the U.S. and China each have the edge, and why humanoids should be good for more than dancing.&nbsp;
</li>
</ul>
Subscribe to Equity on<a href="https://www.youtube.com/@TechCrunch" rel="noopener noreferrer">&nbsp;YouTube</a>,<a href="https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/id1215439780" rel="noopener noreferrer">&nbsp;Apple Podcasts</a>,<a href="https://overcast.fm/itunes1215439780/equity" rel="noopener noreferrer">&nbsp;Overcast</a>,<a href="https://open.spotify.com/show/5IEYLip3eDppcOmy5DmphC?si=rZDFHv2sQUul_g94iCRgpQ" rel="noopener noreferrer">&nbsp;Spotify</a>&nbsp;and all the casts. You can also follow Equity on<a href="https://twitter.com/EquityPod" rel="noopener noreferrer">&nbsp;X</a>&nbsp;and<a href="https://www.threads.net/@equitypod" rel="noopener noreferrer">&nbsp;Threads</a>, at @EquityPod.&nbsp;
Chapters:&nbsp;
00:00 Intro&nbsp;
01:03 Amulya’s path from Intel to Nvidia, and why she left&nbsp;
04:39 What physical AI meant in 2018 vs. now&nbsp;
06:12 Beyond dancing robots: industrial and surgical use cases&nbsp;
09:31 What “conscious automation” means&nbsp;
12:12 Cutting through the hype: the “Lego era” of robotics&nbsp;
16:43 Why your VC should be your moat&nbsp;
20:30 Biggest bottlenecks for physical AI founders&nbsp;
22:30 U.S. vs. China in physical AI&nbsp;
25:43 Are humanoids just for entertainment?&nbsp;
28:10 The most promising near-term areas&nbsp;
29:22 Outro&nbsp;&nbsp; Learn more about your ad choices. Visit <a href="https://megaphone.fm/adchoices" rel="noopener noreferrer">megaphone.fm/adchoices</a>

Physical AI is more than robots, says the Nvidia veteran now investing in it

It seems like every big AI player is building a personal agent. Meta has Muse, OpenAI launched Dots, and a startup called<a href="https://techcrunch.com/2026/09/28/viral-ai-agent-instinct-raises-1b-series-c-at-a-10b-valuation/"> Instinct recently raised $1 billion at a $10 billion valuation</a>. But Eugenia Kuyda thinks the next generation of AI assistants needs to do more than book your restaurant reservations and find you hidden money in your Gmail. 
Kuyda, who founded AI companion app Replika, has just launched <a href="https://techcrunch.com/2026/10/19/replikas-founder-built-the-ai-assistant-she-pitched-at-disrupt-12-years-ago/">Wabi</a>, a personal AI agent that organizes your life into separate conversations, brings other people into the mix, and builds custom apps around what you're trying to do. The idea is to make AI less of a solo productivity tool and more of a way to spend time with the people who matter to you. 
 
On this episode of TechCrunch's<a href="https://techcrunch.com/podcasts/equity/"> Equity</a> podcast, Rebecca Bellan talks with Kuyda about why she thinks AI agents should bring people together instead of keeping them glued to a single chatbot, how Wabi plans to compete in a crowded and expensive market, and what it takes to get people comfortable giving an AI access to their email. 
Listen to the full episode to hear more about: 
<ul>
 <li>Why Kuyda thinks single-threaded AI chats get worse as you use them, and how separate threads improve the user experience. 
</li>
</ul>
<ul>
 <li>How Wabi is approaching compute costs and monetization while its app is free. 
</li>
</ul>
<ul>
 <li>Whether phones will remain the primary way people access AI, even as operating systems become more AI-first. 
</li>
</ul>
<ul>
 <li>What Kuyda looks for when deciding whether an AI startup deserves users' trust. 
</li>
</ul>
Subscribe to Equity on<a href="https://www.youtube.com/@TechCrunch"> YouTube</a>,<a href="https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/id1215439780"> Apple Podcasts</a>,<a href="https://overcast.fm/itunes1215439780/equity"> Overcast</a>,<a href="https://open.spotify.com/show/5IEYLip3eDppcOmy5DmphC?si=rZDFHv2sQUul_g94iCRgpQ"> Spotify</a> and all the casts. You can also follow Equity on<a href="https://twitter.com/EquityPod"> X</a> and<a href="https://www.threads.net/@equitypod"> Threads</a>, at @EquityPod.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit <a href="https://megaphone.fm/adchoices">megaphone.fm/adchoices</a>

It seems like every big AI player is building a personal agent. Meta has Muse, OpenAI launched Dots, and a startup called Instinct recently raised $1 billion at a $10 billion valuation. But Eugenia Kuyda thinks the next generation of AI assistants needs to do more than book your restaurant reservations and find you hidden money in your Gmail. Kuyda, who founded AI companion app Replika, has just launched Wabi, a personal AI agent that organizes your life into separate conversations, brings other people into the mix, and builds custom apps around what you're trying to do. The idea is to make AI less of a solo productivity tool and more of a way to spend time with the people who matter to you. On this episode of TechCrunch's Equity podcast, Rebecca Bellan talks with Kuyda about why she thinks AI agents should bring people together instead of keeping them glued to a single chatbot, how Wabi plans to compete in a crowded and expensive market, and what it takes to get people comfortable giving an AI access to their email. Listen to the full episode to hear more about: Why Kuyda thinks single-threaded AI chats get worse as you use them, and how separate threads improve the user experience. How Wabi is approaching compute costs and monetization while its app is free. Whether phones will remain the primary way people access AI, even as operating systems become more AI-first. What Kuyda looks for when deciding whether an AI startup deserves users' trust. Subscribe to Equity on YouTube, Apple Podcasts, Overcast, Spotify and all the casts. You can also follow Equity on X and Threads, at @EquityPod. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

It seems like every big AI player is building a personal agent. Meta has Muse, OpenAI launched Dots, and a startup called<a href="https://techcrunch.com/2026/09/28/viral-ai-agent-instinct-raises-1b-series-c-at-a-10b-valuation/" rel="noopener noreferrer"> Instinct recently raised $1 billion at a $10 billion valuation</a>. But Eugenia Kuyda thinks the next generation of AI assistants needs to do more than book your restaurant reservations and find you hidden money in your Gmail.&nbsp;
Kuyda, who founded AI companion app Replika, has just launched <a href="https://techcrunch.com/2026/10/19/replikas-founder-built-the-ai-assistant-she-pitched-at-disrupt-12-years-ago/" rel="noopener noreferrer">Wabi</a>, a personal AI agent that organizes your life into separate conversations, brings other people into the mix, and builds custom apps around what you're trying to do. The idea is to make AI less of a solo productivity tool and more of a way to spend time with the people who matter to you.&nbsp;
&nbsp;
On this episode of TechCrunch's<a href="https://techcrunch.com/podcasts/equity/" rel="noopener noreferrer"> Equity</a> podcast, Rebecca Bellan talks with Kuyda about why she thinks AI agents should bring people together instead of keeping them glued to a single chatbot, how Wabi plans to compete in a crowded and expensive market, and what it takes to get people comfortable giving an AI access to their email.&nbsp;
Listen to the full episode to hear more about:&nbsp;
<ul>
 <li>Why Kuyda thinks single-threaded AI chats get worse as you use them, and how separate threads improve the user experience.&nbsp;
</li>
</ul>
<ul>
 <li>How Wabi is approaching compute costs and monetization while its app is free.&nbsp;
</li>
</ul>
<ul>
 <li>Whether phones will remain the primary way people access AI, even as operating systems become more AI-first.&nbsp;
</li>
</ul>
<ul>
 <li>What Kuyda looks for when deciding whether an AI startup deserves users' trust.&nbsp;
</li>
</ul>
Subscribe to Equity on<a href="https://www.youtube.com/@TechCrunch" rel="noopener noreferrer"> YouTube</a>,<a href="https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/id1215439780" rel="noopener noreferrer"> Apple Podcasts</a>,<a href="https://overcast.fm/itunes1215439780/equity" rel="noopener noreferrer"> Overcast</a>,<a href="https://open.spotify.com/show/5IEYLip3eDppcOmy5DmphC?si=rZDFHv2sQUul_g94iCRgpQ" rel="noopener noreferrer"> Spotify</a> and all the casts. You can also follow Equity on<a href="https://twitter.com/EquityPod" rel="noopener noreferrer"> X</a> and<a href="https://www.threads.net/@equitypod" rel="noopener noreferrer"> Threads</a>, at @EquityPod.&nbsp; Learn more about your ad choices. Visit <a href="https://megaphone.fm/adchoices" rel="noopener noreferrer">megaphone.fm/adchoices</a>

Meta and Instinct are racing to build your AI assistant. Wabi has a different idea.

This week, the White House got nearly every major tech CEO in one room — Zuckerberg, Bezos, Musk, and Anthropic’s Dario Amodei among them —<a href="https://techcrunch.com/2026/09/30/pledge-signed-by-president-trump-and-top-ai-leaders-misspells-the-united-states/"> to sign an AI safety pledge</a> that President Donald Trump called “morally binding.” Trump also signed an <a href="https://www.whitehouse.gov/presidential-actions/2026/09/inaugurating-the-era-of-super-intelligence/">executive order</a> officially rebranding AI as “super intelligence,” and meanwhile, Meta and OpenAI are putting <a href="https://techcrunch.com/2026/09/29/openai-launches-dots-its-bubbly-agentic-avatar/">friendlier faces on their AI products</a>, even as the biggest money in AI still appears to be coming from the enterprise. 
 
On this episode of TechCrunch's<a href="https://techcrunch.com/podcasts/equity/"> Equity</a> podcast, Kirsten Korosec, Anthony Ha, and Sean O’Kane dig into this week’s AI moves, the <a href="https://techcrunch.com/2026/09/30/the-ugly-economics-of-consumer-ai/">ugly economics of consumer AI</a>, plus the shifting IPO market and a handful of startup deals. 
 
Listen to the full episode to hear more about: 
<ul>
 <li>What <a href="https://techcrunch.com/2026/09/29/oura-shelves-its-2-2b-ipo-citing-uncertainty-in-the-market/">Oura pulling its IPO</a>, plus <a href="https://techcrunch.com/2026/09/28/anthropics-prospectus-details-losses-growth-and-yes-a-warning-that-its-ai-could-end-humanity/">Anthropic’s</a> leaked S-1 and OpenAI going back to private funding, says about how picky public markets have gotten 
</li>
</ul>
<ul>
 <li><a href="https://techcrunch.com/2026/09/28/maritime-intelligence-startup-quartermaster-raises-another-140m/">Quartermaster’s $140M raise</a> to bring real-time sensors to an industry that AI basically hasn’t touched yet: maritime shipping 
</li>
</ul>
<ul>
 <li>Why <a href="https://techcrunch.com/2026/09/29/ex-tesla-team-raises-12-5m-to-put-supply-chains-on-autopilot/">Atomic</a>, a supply-chain startup from ex-Tesla vets, is already running 90% of DoorDash’s purchasing 
</li>
</ul>
<ul>
 <li>How Startup Battlefield finalist Charter Space raised $5M to bring insurance to satellites 
</li>
</ul>
Speaking of Startup Battlefield, join us at TechCrunch Disrupt 2026, where Equity will kick things off with a live show on the Builders Stage at 9 a.m. <a href="https://techcrunch.com/events/techcrunch-disrupt/?utm_source=equitypodcast&utm_medium=Podcast&utm_campaign=disrupt2026&utm_content=equitydiscount&promo=equity25&display=true">Get 25% off your tickets with code Equity25</a>. 
 
Subscribe to Equity on<a href="https://www.youtube.com/@TechCrunch"> YouTube</a>,<a href="https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/id1215439780"> Apple Podcasts</a>,<a href="https://overcast.fm/itunes1215439780/equity"> Overcast</a>,<a href="https://open.spotify.com/show/5IEYLip3eDppcOmy5DmphC?si=rZDFHv2sQUul_g94iCRgpQ"> Spotify</a> and all the casts. You can also follow Equity on<a href="https://twitter.com/EquityPod"> X</a> and<a href="https://www.threads.net/@equitypod"> Threads</a>, at @EquityPod.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit <a href="https://megaphone.fm/adchoices">megaphone.fm/adchoices</a>

This week, the White House got nearly every major tech CEO in one room — Zuckerberg, Bezos, Musk, and Anthropic’s Dario Amodei among them — to sign an AI safety pledge that President Donald Trump called “morally binding.” Trump also signed an executive order officially rebranding AI as “super intelligence,” and meanwhile, Meta and OpenAI are putting friendlier faces on their AI products, even as the biggest money in AI still appears to be coming from the enterprise. On this episode of TechCrunch's Equity podcast, Kirsten Korosec, Anthony Ha, and Sean O’Kane dig into this week’s AI moves, the ugly economics of consumer AI, plus the shifting IPO market and a handful of startup deals. Listen to the full episode to hear more about: What Oura pulling its IPO, plus Anthropic’s leaked S-1 and OpenAI going back to private funding, says about how picky public markets have gotten Quartermaster’s $140M raise to bring real-time sensors to an industry that AI basically hasn’t touched yet: maritime shipping Why Atomic, a supply-chain startup from ex-Tesla vets, is already running 90% of DoorDash’s purchasing How Startup Battlefield finalist Charter Space raised $5M to bring insurance to satellites Speaking of Startup Battlefield, join us at TechCrunch Disrupt 2026, where Equity will kick things off with a live show on the Builders Stage at 9 a.m. Get 25% off your tickets with code Equity25. Subscribe to Equity on YouTube, Apple Podcasts, Overcast, Spotify and all the casts. You can also follow Equity on X and Threads, at @EquityPod. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This week, the White House got&nbsp;nearly every&nbsp;major tech CEO in one room — Zuckerberg, Bezos, Musk, and Anthropic’s Dario Amodei among them —<a href="https://techcrunch.com/2026/09/30/pledge-signed-by-president-trump-and-top-ai-leaders-misspells-the-united-states/" rel="noopener noreferrer">&nbsp;to sign an AI safety pledge</a>&nbsp;that President&nbsp;Donald&nbsp;Trump called “morally binding.”&nbsp;Trump&nbsp;also&nbsp;signed an&nbsp;<a href="https://www.whitehouse.gov/presidential-actions/2026/09/inaugurating-the-era-of-super-intelligence/" rel="noopener noreferrer">executive order</a>&nbsp;officially rebranding AI as “super intelligence,” and meanwhile,&nbsp;Meta and OpenAI are putting&nbsp;<a href="https://techcrunch.com/2026/09/29/openai-launches-dots-its-bubbly-agentic-avatar/" rel="noopener noreferrer">friendlier faces on their AI products</a>, even as the biggest money in AI still appears to be coming from the enterprise.&nbsp;
&nbsp;
On this episode of TechCrunch's<a href="https://techcrunch.com/podcasts/equity/" rel="noopener noreferrer">&nbsp;Equity</a>&nbsp;podcast, Kirsten Korosec, Anthony Ha, and Sean O’Kane dig into this week’s AI moves, the&nbsp;<a href="https://techcrunch.com/2026/09/30/the-ugly-economics-of-consumer-ai/" rel="noopener noreferrer">ugly economics of consumer AI</a>, plus the shifting IPO market and a handful of startup deals.&nbsp;
&nbsp;
Listen to the full episode to hear more about:&nbsp;
<ul>
 <li>What&nbsp;<a href="https://techcrunch.com/2026/09/29/oura-shelves-its-2-2b-ipo-citing-uncertainty-in-the-market/" rel="noopener noreferrer">Oura pulling its IPO</a>, plus&nbsp;<a href="https://techcrunch.com/2026/09/28/anthropics-prospectus-details-losses-growth-and-yes-a-warning-that-its-ai-could-end-humanity/" rel="noopener noreferrer">Anthropic’s</a>&nbsp;leaked S-1 and OpenAI going back to private funding, says about how&nbsp;picky&nbsp;public markets have gotten&nbsp;
</li>
</ul>
<ul>
 <li><a href="https://techcrunch.com/2026/09/28/maritime-intelligence-startup-quartermaster-raises-another-140m/" rel="noopener noreferrer">Quartermaster’s $140M raise</a>&nbsp;to bring real-time sensors to an industry that AI&nbsp;basically hasn’t&nbsp;touched yet: maritime shipping&nbsp;
</li>
</ul>
<ul>
 <li>Why&nbsp;<a href="https://techcrunch.com/2026/09/29/ex-tesla-team-raises-12-5m-to-put-supply-chains-on-autopilot/" rel="noopener noreferrer">Atomic</a>, a supply-chain startup from ex-Tesla vets, is already running 90% of DoorDash’s purchasing&nbsp;
</li>
</ul>
<ul>
 <li>How Startup Battlefield finalist Charter Space raised $5M to bring insurance to satellites&nbsp;
</li>
</ul>
Speaking of Startup Battlefield, join us at TechCrunch Disrupt 2026, where Equity will kick things off with a live show on the Builders Stage at 9 a.m.&nbsp;<a href="https://techcrunch.com/events/techcrunch-disrupt/?utm_source=equitypodcast&amp;utm_medium=Podcast&amp;utm_campaign=disrupt2026&amp;utm_content=equitydiscount&amp;promo=equity25&amp;display=true" rel="noopener noreferrer">Get 25% off your tickets with code Equity25</a>.&nbsp;
&nbsp;
Subscribe to Equity on<a href="https://www.youtube.com/@TechCrunch" rel="noopener noreferrer">&nbsp;YouTube</a>,<a href="https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/id1215439780" rel="noopener noreferrer">&nbsp;Apple Podcasts</a>,<a href="https://overcast.fm/itunes1215439780/equity" rel="noopener noreferrer">&nbsp;Overcast</a>,<a href="https://open.spotify.com/show/5IEYLip3eDppcOmy5DmphC?si=rZDFHv2sQUul_g94iCRgpQ" rel="noopener noreferrer">&nbsp;Spotify</a>&nbsp;and all the casts. You can also follow Equity on<a href="https://twitter.com/EquityPod" rel="noopener noreferrer">&nbsp;X</a>&nbsp;and<a href="https://www.threads.net/@equitypod" rel="noopener noreferrer">&nbsp;Threads</a>, at @EquityPod.&nbsp; Learn more about your ad choices. Visit <a href="https://megaphone.fm/adchoices" rel="noopener noreferrer">megaphone.fm/adchoices</a>

Call it AI, call it Super Intelligence, only 2% of consumers are buying it

After weeks of speculation and leaks, Anthropic finally <a href="https://techcrunch.com/2026/10/26/anthropic-officially-files-for-its-public-debut/">released the S-1 filing for its IPO</a>, showing revenue of $16.3 billion for the first half of 2026, with a net loss of $80.7 billion.
At around the same time, <a href="https://techcrunch.com/2026/10/28/ai-execs-may-be-too-out-of-touch-to-build-for-the-general-public/">former Yahoo CEO Marissa Mayer sparked a backlash</a> after boasting about using her AI app Dazzle to answer questions about her daughter for a school presentation.
On this episode of TechCrunch’s <a href="https://techcrunch.com/podcasts/equity/">Equity</a> podcast, Kirsten Korosec, Sean O’Kane, and Anthony Ha dig into the long-awaited financial details behind one of the industry’s biggest companies, looking at both the enormous opportunities and the many, many risks. They’re also joined by Amanda Silberling to discuss a more basic question facing the industry: <a href="https://techcrunch.com/2026/10/28/ai-execs-may-be-too-out-of-touch-to-build-for-the-general-public/">Are AI execs too out-of-touch to build products for normal people?</a>
Listen to the full episode to hear more about:
<ul>
 <li>What <a href="https://techcrunch.com/2026/10/26/anthropics-ipo-filing-reveals-its-strategy-for-keeping-enterprise-customers-hooked/">Anthropic’s S-1 reveals about its enterprise strategy</a>
</li>
 <li>Why an Apollo economist said that <a href="https://techcrunch.com/2026/10/25/ai-delivers-zero-financial-payoff-to-most-companies-according-to-apollo-economist/">AI has delivered “zero financial payoff”</a>
</li>
 <li><a href="https://techcrunch.com/2026/10/26/this-startups-self-driving-excavators-help-dig-up-600m-in-new-funding/">New funding for Bedrock Robotics</a>, a startup building self-driving excavators
</li>
 <li>Why manufacturing accelerator <a href="https://techcrunch.com/2026/10/27/rebuild-which-spun-out-slate-auto-raises-2-1b/">Re:Build just raised $2.1 billion</a>
</li>
</ul>
Subscribe to Equity on <a href="https://www.youtube.com/@TechCrunch">YouTube</a>, <a href="https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/id1215439780">Apple Podcasts</a>, <a href="https://overcast.fm/itunes1215439780/equity">Overcast</a>, <a href="https://open.spotify.com/show/5IEYLip3eDppcOmy5DmphC?si=rZDFHv2sQUul_g94iCRgpQ">Spotify</a>, and all the casts. You can also follow Equity on <a href="https://twitter.com/EquityPod">X</a> and <a href="https://www.threads.net/@equitypod">Threads</a>, at @EquityPod. 
 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit <a href="https://megaphone.fm/adchoices">megaphone.fm/adchoices</a>

After weeks of speculation and leaks, Anthropic finally released the S-1 filing for its IPO, showing revenue of $16.3 billion for the first half of 2026, with a net loss of $80.7 billion. At around the same time, former Yahoo CEO Marissa Mayer sparked a backlash after boasting about using her AI app Dazzle to answer questions about her daughter for a school presentation. On this episode of TechCrunch’s Equity podcast, Kirsten Korosec, Sean O’Kane, and Anthony Ha dig into the long-awaited financial details behind one of the industry’s biggest companies, looking at both the enormous opportunities and the many, many risks. They’re also joined by Amanda Silberling to discuss a more basic question facing the industry: Are AI execs too out-of-touch to build products for normal people? Listen to the full episode to hear more about: What Anthropic’s S-1 reveals about its enterprise strategy Why an Apollo economist said that AI has delivered “zero financial payoff” New funding for Bedrock Robotics, a startup building self-driving excavators Why manufacturing accelerator Re:Build just raised $2.1 billion Subscribe to Equity on YouTube, Apple Podcasts, Overcast, Spotify, and all the casts. You can also follow Equity on X and Threads, at @EquityPod. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

After weeks of speculation and leaks, Anthropic finally <a href="https://techcrunch.com/2026/10/26/anthropic-officially-files-for-its-public-debut/" rel="noopener noreferrer">released the S-1 filing for its IPO</a>, showing revenue of $16.3 billion for the first half of 2026, with a net loss of $80.7 billion.
At around the same time, <a href="https://techcrunch.com/2026/10/28/ai-execs-may-be-too-out-of-touch-to-build-for-the-general-public/" rel="noopener noreferrer">former Yahoo CEO Marissa Mayer sparked a backlash</a> after boasting about using her AI app Dazzle to answer questions about her daughter for a school presentation.
On this episode of TechCrunch’s <a href="https://techcrunch.com/podcasts/equity/" rel="noopener noreferrer">Equity</a> podcast, Kirsten Korosec, Sean O’Kane, and Anthony Ha dig into the long-awaited financial details behind one of the industry’s biggest companies, looking at both the enormous opportunities and the many, many risks. They’re also joined by Amanda Silberling to discuss a more basic question facing the industry: <a href="https://techcrunch.com/2026/10/28/ai-execs-may-be-too-out-of-touch-to-build-for-the-general-public/" rel="noopener noreferrer">Are AI execs too out-of-touch to build products for normal people?</a>
Listen to the full episode to hear more about:
<ul>
 <li>What <a href="https://techcrunch.com/2026/10/26/anthropics-ipo-filing-reveals-its-strategy-for-keeping-enterprise-customers-hooked/" rel="noopener noreferrer">Anthropic’s S-1 reveals about its enterprise strategy</a>
</li>
 <li>Why an Apollo economist said that <a href="https://techcrunch.com/2026/10/25/ai-delivers-zero-financial-payoff-to-most-companies-according-to-apollo-economist/" rel="noopener noreferrer">AI has delivered “zero financial payoff”</a>
</li>
 <li><a href="https://techcrunch.com/2026/10/26/this-startups-self-driving-excavators-help-dig-up-600m-in-new-funding/" rel="noopener noreferrer">New funding for Bedrock Robotics</a>, a startup building self-driving excavators
</li>
 <li>Why manufacturing accelerator <a href="https://techcrunch.com/2026/10/27/rebuild-which-spun-out-slate-auto-raises-2-1b/" rel="noopener noreferrer">Re:Build just raised $2.1 billion</a>
</li>
</ul>
Subscribe to Equity on <a href="https://www.youtube.com/@TechCrunch" rel="noopener noreferrer">YouTube</a>, <a href="https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/id1215439780" rel="noopener noreferrer">Apple Podcasts</a>, <a href="https://overcast.fm/itunes1215439780/equity" rel="noopener noreferrer">Overcast</a>, <a href="https://open.spotify.com/show/5IEYLip3eDppcOmy5DmphC?si=rZDFHv2sQUul_g94iCRgpQ" rel="noopener noreferrer">Spotify</a>, and all the casts. You can also follow Equity on <a href="https://twitter.com/EquityPod" rel="noopener noreferrer">X</a> and <a href="https://www.threads.net/@equitypod" rel="noopener noreferrer">Threads</a>, at @EquityPod.&nbsp;
 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit <a href="https://megaphone.fm/adchoices" rel="noopener noreferrer">megaphone.fm/adchoices</a>

Anthropic’s S-1 is here. Does AI pay off?

The internet is having an off week, to say the least. 
Security researchers at OpenAI and Google-owned Wiz <a href="https://techcrunch.com/2026/10/21/php-armageddon-openai-googles-wiz-find-ancient-holes-panicking-the-internet/">used AI to uncover critical flaws in PHP</a>, the open source language behind roughly 70% of websites, including those built on WordPress, WooCommerce, and Magento. The holes date back more than a decade, and now that a fix is out, companies are scrambling to patch their systems as attackers try to <a href="https://x.com/eastdakota/status/2113079352682570051?s=46&t=dDcpMIMYg6fdPePSTT9k6w">exploit</a> the them. 
 
On this episode of TechCrunch’s<a href="https://techcrunch.com/podcasts/equity/"> Equity</a> podcast, Kirsten Korosec, Sean O’Kane, and Anthony Ha dig into why AI-powered bug hunting could make this the first of many internet-wide scares, what Elon Musk’s careful choreography says about where a <a href="https://techcrunch.com/2026/10/20/spacex-and-tesla-boards-form-special-committees-to-review-merger/">Tesla-SpaceX merger</a> is headed, and more of the week’s headlines. 
 
Listen to the full episode to hear more about: 
<ul>
 <li><a href="https://techcrunch.com/2026/10/19/musk-pledges-to-give-every-kid-in-america-one-of-his-spacex-shares/">Elon Musk’s pledge</a> to give every kid in America a SpaceX share, announced just hours after <a href="https://techcrunch.com/2026/10/18/anthropic-says-its-committing-5-of-its-shares-to-a-public-benefit-fund/">Anthropic unveiled its public benefit fund</a> 
</li>
</ul>
<ul>
 <li>Character.AI’s <a href="https://techcrunch.com/2026/10/13/just-5-years-in-interactive-chatbot-platform-character-ai-files-for-bankruptcy/">bankruptcy</a>, <a href="https://techcrunch.com/2026/10/18/disney-agrees-to-hire-the-majority-of-character-ais-workforce/">Disney’s deal</a> to hire most of its staff, and Anthony’s case for rethinking what “acquihire” means 
</li>
</ul>
<ul>
 <li><a href="https://techcrunch.com/2026/10/20/openai-acquires-startup-orchestra-bio%e2%81%a0-to-beef-up-its-biotech-business/">OpenAI’s acquisition of Orchestra Bio</a> and what it says about the company’s “no side quests” strategy 
</li>
</ul>
<ul>
 <li>Otter’s surprise <a href="https://techcrunch.com/2026/10/20/otter-ai-raises-320-million-from-general-catalysts-growth-fund-for-its-meeting-tool/">$320 million raise</a> from General Catalyst’s growth fund 
</li>
</ul>
Subscribe to Equity on<a href="https://www.youtube.com/@TechCrunch"> YouTube</a>,<a href="https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/id1215439780"> Apple Podcasts</a>,<a href="https://overcast.fm/itunes1215439780/equity"> Overcast</a>,<a href="https://open.spotify.com/show/5IEYLip3eDppcOmy5DmphC?si=rZDFHv2sQUul_g94iCRgpQ"> Spotify</a> and all the casts. You can also follow Equity on<a href="https://twitter.com/EquityPod"> X</a> and<a href="https://www.threads.net/@equitypod"> Threads</a>, at @EquityPod. 
 
Chapters:
0:00 – Intro: PHP security crisis, Tesla and SpaceX, and Otter.ai's $320M raise
0:55 – TechCrunch Disrupt recap and the Elizabeth Holmes documentary
2:50 – Critical PHP vulnerabilities threaten millions of websites
8:01 – AI's role in discovering and exploiting cybersecurity flaws
13:09 – The future of AI-powered cybersecurity
17:07 – Are Tesla and SpaceX finally merging?
19:10 – Elon Musk's influence over both companies' boards
22:50 – Why a Tesla-SpaceX merger could make financial sense
25:27 – Musk's plan to give American children SpaceX shares
27:08 – Character.AI's bankruptcy and Disney's involvement
30:21 – OpenAI acquires biotech startup Orchestra Bio
33:00 – Otter.ai raises $320 million from General Catalyst
35:30 – Outro Learn more about your ad choices. Visit <a href="https://megaphone.fm/adchoices">megaphone.fm/adchoices</a>

The internet is having an off week, to say the least. Security researchers at OpenAI and Google-owned Wiz used AI to uncover critical flaws in PHP, the open source language behind roughly 70% of websites, including those built on WordPress, WooCommerce, and Magento. The holes date back more than a decade, and now that a fix is out, companies are scrambling to patch their systems as attackers try to exploit the them. On this episode of TechCrunch’s Equity podcast, Kirsten Korosec, Sean O’Kane, and Anthony Ha dig into why AI-powered bug hunting could make this the first of many internet-wide scares, what Elon Musk’s careful choreography says about where a Tesla-SpaceX merger is headed, and more of the week’s headlines. Listen to the full episode to hear more about: Elon Musk’s pledge to give every kid in America a SpaceX share, announced just hours after Anthropic unveiled its public benefit fund Character.AI’s bankruptcy, Disney’s deal to hire most of its staff, and Anthony’s case for rethinking what “acquihire” means OpenAI’s acquisition of Orchestra Bio and what it says about the company’s “no side quests” strategy Otter’s surprise $320 million raise from General Catalyst’s growth fund Subscribe to Equity on YouTube, Apple Podcasts, Overcast, Spotify and all the casts. You can also follow Equity on X and Threads, at @EquityPod. Chapters: 0:00 – Intro: PHP security crisis, Tesla and SpaceX, and Otter.ai's $320M raise 0:55 – TechCrunch Disrupt recap and the Elizabeth Holmes documentary 2:50 – Critical PHP vulnerabilities threaten millions of websites 8:01 – AI's role in discovering and exploiting cybersecurity flaws 13:09 – The future of AI-powered cybersecurity 17:07 – Are Tesla and SpaceX finally merging? 19:10 – Elon Musk's influence over both companies' boards 22:50 – Why a Tesla-SpaceX merger could make financial sense 25:27 – Musk's plan to give American children SpaceX shares 27:08 – Character.AI's bankruptcy and Disney's involvement 30:21 – OpenAI acquires biotech startup Orchestra Bio 33:00 – Otter.ai raises $320 million from General Catalyst 35:30 – Outro Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The internet is having an off week, to say the least.&nbsp;
Security researchers at OpenAI and Google-owned Wiz <a href="https://techcrunch.com/2026/10/21/php-armageddon-openai-googles-wiz-find-ancient-holes-panicking-the-internet/" rel="noopener noreferrer">used AI to uncover critical flaws in PHP</a>, the open source language behind roughly 70% of websites, including those built on WordPress, WooCommerce, and Magento. The holes date back more than a decade, and now that a fix is out, companies are scrambling to patch their systems as attackers try to <a href="https://x.com/eastdakota/status/2113079352682570051?s=46&amp;t=dDcpMIMYg6fdPePSTT9k6w" rel="noopener noreferrer">exploit</a> the them.&nbsp;
&nbsp;
On this episode of TechCrunch’s<a href="https://techcrunch.com/podcasts/equity/" rel="noopener noreferrer"> Equity</a> podcast, Kirsten Korosec, Sean O’Kane, and Anthony Ha dig into why AI-powered bug hunting could make this the first of many internet-wide scares, what Elon Musk’s careful choreography says about where a <a href="https://techcrunch.com/2026/10/20/spacex-and-tesla-boards-form-special-committees-to-review-merger/" rel="noopener noreferrer">Tesla-SpaceX merger</a> is headed, and more of the week’s headlines.&nbsp;
&nbsp;
Listen to the full episode to hear more about:&nbsp;
<ul>
 <li><a href="https://techcrunch.com/2026/10/19/musk-pledges-to-give-every-kid-in-america-one-of-his-spacex-shares/" rel="noopener noreferrer">Elon Musk’s pledge</a> to give every kid in America a SpaceX share, announced just hours after <a href="https://techcrunch.com/2026/10/18/anthropic-says-its-committing-5-of-its-shares-to-a-public-benefit-fund/" rel="noopener noreferrer">Anthropic unveiled its public benefit fund</a>&nbsp;
</li>
</ul>
<ul>
 <li>Character.AI’s <a href="https://techcrunch.com/2026/10/13/just-5-years-in-interactive-chatbot-platform-character-ai-files-for-bankruptcy/" rel="noopener noreferrer">bankruptcy</a>, <a href="https://techcrunch.com/2026/10/18/disney-agrees-to-hire-the-majority-of-character-ais-workforce/" rel="noopener noreferrer">Disney’s deal</a> to hire most of its staff, and Anthony’s case for rethinking what “acquihire” means&nbsp;
</li>
</ul>
<ul>
 <li><a href="https://techcrunch.com/2026/10/20/openai-acquires-startup-orchestra-bio%e2%81%a0-to-beef-up-its-biotech-business/" rel="noopener noreferrer">OpenAI’s acquisition of Orchestra Bio</a> and what it says about the company’s “no side quests” strategy&nbsp;
</li>
</ul>
<ul>
 <li>Otter’s surprise <a href="https://techcrunch.com/2026/10/20/otter-ai-raises-320-million-from-general-catalysts-growth-fund-for-its-meeting-tool/" rel="noopener noreferrer">$320 million raise</a> from General Catalyst’s growth fund&nbsp;
</li>
</ul>
Subscribe to Equity on<a href="https://www.youtube.com/@TechCrunch" rel="noopener noreferrer"> YouTube</a>,<a href="https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/id1215439780" rel="noopener noreferrer"> Apple Podcasts</a>,<a href="https://overcast.fm/itunes1215439780/equity" rel="noopener noreferrer"> Overcast</a>,<a href="https://open.spotify.com/show/5IEYLip3eDppcOmy5DmphC?si=rZDFHv2sQUul_g94iCRgpQ" rel="noopener noreferrer"> Spotify</a> and all the casts. You can also follow Equity on<a href="https://twitter.com/EquityPod" rel="noopener noreferrer"> X</a> and<a href="https://www.threads.net/@equitypod" rel="noopener noreferrer"> Threads</a>, at @EquityPod.&nbsp;
 
Chapters:
0:00 – Intro: PHP security crisis, Tesla and SpaceX, and Otter.ai's $320M raise
0:55 – TechCrunch Disrupt recap and the Elizabeth Holmes documentary
2:50 – Critical PHP vulnerabilities threaten millions of websites
8:01 – AI's role in discovering and exploiting cybersecurity flaws
13:09 – The future of AI-powered cybersecurity
17:07 – Are Tesla and SpaceX finally merging?
19:10 – Elon Musk's influence over both companies' boards
22:50 – Why a Tesla-SpaceX merger could make financial sense
25:27 – Musk's plan to give American children SpaceX shares
27:08 – Character.AI's bankruptcy and Disney's involvement
30:21 – OpenAI acquires biotech startup Orchestra Bio
33:00 – Otter.ai raises $320 million from General Catalyst
35:30 – Outro Learn more about your ad choices. Visit <a href="https://megaphone.fm/adchoices" rel="noopener noreferrer">megaphone.fm/adchoices</a>

The PHP Armageddon reminds us that the internet is held together by glue and dreams

This week we discussed the massive Dropbox debt facility (and its historical echoes), the rough situation at Munchery, and the M&A market including Katie’s scoop on the Rover-Dogvacay tie-up, and all things Amazon.

It was a fun episode, so subscribe, pour a drink, and hit play.

This week we discussed the massive Dropbox debt facility (and its historical echoes), the rough situation at Munchery, and the M&A market including Katie’s scoop on the Rover-Dogvacay tie-up, and all things Amazon. It was a fun episode, so subscribe, pour a drink, and hit play.

This week we discussed the massive Dropbox debt facility (and its historical echoes), the rough situation at Munchery, and the M&amp;A market including Katie’s scoop on the Rover-Dogvacay tie-up, and all things Amazon.

It was a fun episode, so subscribe, pour a drink, and hit play.

Average Revenue Per Dog

Hear what the latest Apple and Amazon acquisitions mean for tech M&A, how the Uber scandals will impact its business, and what one of the industry's top LPs thinks of the state of venture capital right now.

Hear what the latest Apple and Amazon acquisitions mean for tech M&amp;A, how the Uber scandals will impact its business, and what one of the industry's top LPs thinks of the state of venture capital right now.

Apple and Amazon buy more companies, and Uber’s unfortunate saga

Tesla raises another $1 billion,  IPOs are back and what's the deal with M&A? On our debut episode of "Equity," hosts Katie Roof, Matthew Lynley and Alex Wilhelm chat with investor and SaaStr founder Jason Lemkin about the week's news and venture trends.

Tesla raises another $1 billion, IPOs are back and what's the deal with M&A? On our debut episode of "Equity," hosts Katie Roof, Matthew Lynley and Alex Wilhelm chat with investor and SaaStr founder Jason Lemkin about the week's news and venture trends.

Tesla raises another $1 billion,  IPOs are back and what's the deal with M&amp;A? On our debut episode of "Equity," hosts Katie Roof, Matthew Lynley and Alex Wilhelm chat with investor and SaaStr founder Jason Lemkin about the week's news and venture trends.

The return of IPOs and Tesla's billion-dollar bet

Equity is TechCrunch's weekly podcast focused on all things money when it comes to startups. Massive rounds, notable acquisitions, and credulity-stretching IPOs are the fodder for hosts Katie Roof, Matthew Lynley, and Alex Wilhelm. They'll help everyone understand the dollars behind the hype.

Equity Teaser

The intersection of technology, startups, and venture capital touches everything now. That’s why Equity, TechCrunch's flagship podcast, digs into the business of startups for entrepreneurs and enthusiasts alike. Every Wednesday and Friday, TechCrunch reporters keep you up-to-date on the world of business, technology, and venture capital. Equity is ranked the No.2 podcast in the Top 100 Venture Capital All time leaderboard on Goodpods—As well as No.17 for the Top 100 Finance All time chart and No.32 for the Top 100 Business News All time chart.

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