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Senior Writer

Lauren Goode

In this session, Raquel and Sven explore this new era of Physical AI and the transformative impact it will have on industries, economies, and our daily life. Using autonomous vehicles—one area in which this vision is already becoming reality—as a compelling case study, they examine how AI breakthroughs are accelerating progress toward true autonomy. They also discuss the importance of establishing new AI paradigms that prioritize safety, efficiency and scalability, and use Waabi’s pioneering approach to neural simulation as an example of how this can be achieved.

AI in the physical world

Economist William Lazonick argues that since the 1980s, the U.S. economy has shifted from creating real value to extracting it—leaving workers more vulnerable. In this session, he unpacks how even tariffs can’t undo decades of extractive practice, and what it really takes to build a secure, people-first economy.

Lauren Goode

Senior Writer

WIRED