Real-World AI Stage Introduced at TechCrunch Disrupt 2026

Serdar HocamAuthor & Editor

A special stage bridging the physical and digital worlds is being established at one of the tech world's major gatherings.

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TechCrunch Disrupt 2026’s new Real World AI Stage features Nvidia, robots, and extinct animals  | TechCrunch

TechCrunch Disrupt 2026 has announced a brand-new Real-World AI Stage addressing the intersection of the digital and physical worlds with artificial intelligence. The event, taking place from October 13 to 15 at Moscone West in San Francisco, will cover prominent topics such as Nvidia, robotics, and extinct animals.

Real-World AI Stage is Being Established

TechCrunch is expanding its traditional AI programming by adding a brand-new Real-World AI Stage to the Disrupt 2026 event. This new stage aims to merge the digital and physical worlds through autonomous hardware and robotic systems.

Event Date and Location

The eagerly awaited tech gathering will be held from October 13 to 15 at the Moscone West center located in San Francisco.

Nvidia and Robotics Session

As part of the program, Les Karpas, Head of Physical AI at Nvidia, will discuss robots awaiting their ChatGPT moment and the obstacles standing in the way.

Critical Systems and Defense Technologies

Nate Michael, CTO of Shield AI, will share with attendees how to build artificial intelligence systems in environments where there is no room for error.

Biology and Extinct Species

Ben Lamm, CEO of Colossal Biosciences, will evaluate the role of artificial intelligence in biology and efforts to bring back extinct species.

AI Operating Without the Cloud

Dr. Ali Agha from FieldAI, Michelle Lee from Medra, and Aidan Madigan-Curtis from Eclipse Ventures will explain how artificial intelligence operates at the edge in situations where cloud connectivity is unavailable.

Scalability and Transition to Production

John Mackey from MBRYONICS, Boris Sofman from Bedrock Robotics, and Adrian Macneil from Foxglove will cover the processes of transitioning from prototype to production.

Other Program Stage Details

Along with the new stage, Disrupt 2026 will also feature the Disrupt Stage, AI Stage, Intelligent Money Stage, Smart Systems Stage, and Developers Stage.