Building the Physical AI Stack | Travis Kalanick on TBPN
7/23/202645 min
Travis Kalanick joins TBPN to discuss Atoms, his vision for industrial AI, and why he believes the biggest opportunities in AI lie beyond software.
He explains how Atoms is bringing autonomy to mining, logistics, and food production, why robotics will reshape physical industries, and how lower costs and greater automation could unlock entirely new economic opportunities. Travis also reflects on raising $1.7 billion, building in stealth, regulation, hiring, and what he's learned since Uber.
Resources
Follow Travis on X: https://x.com/travisk
Follow TBPN on X: https://x.com/tbpn
Stay Updated:
If you enjoyed this episode, be sure to like, subscribe, and share with your friends!
Find a16z on X: https://twitter.com/a16z
Find a16z on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/a16z
Listen to the a16z Show on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/5bC65RDvs3oxnLyqqvkUYX
Listen to the a16z Show on Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/a16z-podcast/id842818711
Follow our host: https://x.com/eriktorenberg
Please note that the content here is for informational purposes only; should NOT be taken as legal, business, tax, or investment advice or be used to evaluate any investment or security; and is not directed at any investors or potential investors in any a16z fund. a16z and its affiliates may maintain investments in the companies discussed. For more details, please see http://a16z.com/disclosures.
Stay Updated:
Find a16z on YouTube: YouTube
Find a16z on X
Find a16z on LinkedIn
Listen to the a16z Show on Spotify
Listen to the a16z Show on Apple Podcasts
Follow our host: https://twitter.com/eriktorenberg
Please note that the content here is for informational purposes only; should NOT be taken as legal, business, tax, or investment advice or be used to evaluate any investment or security; and is not directed at any investors or potential investors in any a16z fund. a16z and its affiliates may maintain investments in the companies discussed. For more details please see a16z.com/disclosures.
Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.
Clips
Transcript preview
First 90 secondsErik Torenberg· Host0:00
Travis Kalanick joins TBPN to discuss why he's betting his next company on industrial AI. He shares his vision behind Adams, explains how autonomy is transforming industries like mining and food production, and discusses why bringing AI into the physical world may be an even bigger opportunity than software alone. Before we start, the last time you were on here, that was, for me, the best moment of making the show ever.
John· Host0:29
I agree. Yeah.
Erik Torenberg· Host0:29
John and I, uh- Excuse me. It was, it was totally surreal, and, uh, we had a-- We really, really enjoyed the conversation.
John· Host0:36
Yeah.
Erik Torenberg· Host0:36
But, but to me, we left that, and it was almost depressing because as somebody who, you know, started getting into startups in the 2010s- Yeah ... you were that guy. And then I was realizing with the show, we, we had that conversation with you, and it, and it was, you know, a significant day for you. But it was sort of depressing- Yeah ... 'cause I realized, like, a moment like that would never actually come again- Yeah ... where I got to basically interview, uh, a- It will happen, guys. It will happen.
John· Host1:05
It will happen.
Erik Torenberg· Host1:06
No, it'll happen differently, but, but, you know, a childhood hero- Yeah, yeah ... having that conversation, that's one of one for me. I don't think it'll happen again.
John· Host1:14
Peak.
Erik Torenberg· Host1:14
There'll be other... It was peak.
John· Host1:15
It was good. It was good.
Erik Torenberg· Host1:16
It was peak. But anyways, you've been busy since then.
Travis Kalanick· Guest1:19
I've been busy.
Erik Torenberg· Host1:19
And we're excited to have you back.
Travis Kalanick· Guest1:20
Look, I'm super excited. This is my first open AI podcast. [laughing] [laughing] I'm very excited about it. Also, I wanna let you guys know that, um,