'Robots could be one of humanity's greatest opportunities'

The new buzz word in the world of artificial intelligence is Physical AI, the coming together of hardware and software on which applications are built. DEEPU TALLA, vice-president (VP) and general manager (GM) for robotics and edge computing at chipmaker Nvidia, is working to make Physical AI a reality. In an interview on the sidelines of the Nvidia AI Summit in Mumbai, he spoke with Shivani Shinde about Physical AI, robots and more. Edited excerpts:

- DEEPU TALLA, vice-president (VP) and general manager (GM) for robotics and edge computing at chipmaker Nvidia

What does it mean when you say that the age of Physical AI has arrived?

The demand for robotics has long existed due to factors like an aging population, labor shortages and safety. Robotics today is focused on high-volume and repetitive tasks, such as automotive and semiconductor manufacturing, where the scale supports dedicated robot programming teams.

The need for robots and autonomous capabilities has only increased, though progress has lagged due to complexities of the physical world.

AI has developed in three waves. The first wave, a decade ago, focused on consumer internet services with around 80-90 percent accuracy. The second wave, emerging now, brings this approach to enterprise applications, offering significant growth for India's software industry. This is because enterprises need tailored AI solutions for proprietary needs.

The third wave, encompassing Physical AI and robotics, is the largest opportunity, with applications across manufacturing, warehouses, cities and agriculture.