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The Robotics Revolution Won’t Be Humanoid l Build Mode

Robotics is having an AI boom, but don’t expect it to have a ChatGPT moment. In this episode of Build Mode, host Isabelle Johannesen sits down with Xavier Chi, co-founder of Mbodi, a startup building AI software that lets people teach industrial robots new skills using natural language. Xavier first joined Isabelle on the Startup…

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Robotics is having an AI boom, but don’t expect it to have a ChatGPT moment.

In this episode of Build Mode, host Isabelle Johannesen sits down with Xavier Chi, co-founder of Mbodi, a startup building AI software that lets people teach industrial robots new skills using natural language.

Xavier first joined Isabelle on the Startup Battlefield stage, where Mbodi became a crowd favorite with a live robot demo. Now, he’s back to talk about what happened after Battlefield and why he believes this generation of AI could finally help robotics companies overcome some of the problems that have historically made them so difficult to scale.

Xavier breaks down why traditional industrial automation still requires so much programming and customization, how Mbodi is working with ABB Robotics to bring its software into factories and warehouses, and why deploying robotics in the physical world creates a very different set of challenges from building traditional software. He also explains why robotics startups have struggled to build scalable software businesses and how generative AI could begin to change that.

They also get into what VCs are looking for in robotics startups, how founders can de-risk an investment before fundraising, whether the excitement around humanoid robots is justified, and why Xavier believes robotics won’t experience a single ChatGPT-like breakthrough. Plus, he explains why reliability is so critical on the factory floor — and how Mbodi recently achieved a 99.6% success rate during an eight-hour test.

Chapters:
00:00 — Mbodi’s unforgettable Startup Battlefield demo
01:32 — Why industrial automation is still so difficult
03:55 — What companies are actually using robots for
06:33 — How Mbodi landed its partnership with ABB Robotics
08:30 — Are startup competitions worth a founder’s time?
10:00 — Why Xavier wanted to compete in Startup Battlefield
11:18 — The hardest question Mbodi faced at Battlefield
13:04 — Why robotics software has struggled to scale
16:35 — Raising venture capital for a robotics startup
18:02 — Convincing VCs you’re the right team
19:12 — Do robots really need to look human?
21:42 — What needs to improve across the robotics stack
25:08 — What VCs want from robotics startups
28:00 — How to de-risk a robotics investment
30:06 — What’s next for Mbodi
31:30 — When will robots enter our homes?
35:35 — Why robots can’t afford to fail
36:01 — Mbodi’s 99.6% reliability test

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1 Comment

1 Comment

  1. @divyanshusahu6413

    September 11, 2026 at 3:25 pm

    The amount of clarity in the space of industrial robotics this founder has is absolutely commendable. Its amazing to hear such a realistic perspective on scaling in today’s world.

    Reply

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CNET

Adobe Max 2026 Supercut: Everything Announced in 18 Minutes

Adobe held its annual Adobe Max event in Miami Beach, Florida, on Tuesday. See all the highlights and new features coming to Adobe’s Creative Cloud for video editing, photo editing and generative AI for video. Read more about Adobe Max on CNET.com Adobe Max 2026 Live Updates: All the AI, Photo and Video News Timecode…

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November 10, 2026

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Adobe held its annual Adobe Max event in Miami Beach, Florida, on Tuesday. See all the highlights and new features coming to Adobe’s Creative Cloud for video editing, photo editing and generative AI for video.

Read more about Adobe Max on CNET.com
Adobe Max 2026 Live Updates: All the AI, Photo and Video News

Timecode Chapters:
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12:03 New Adobe Photoshop Generative AI Features
14:26 Firefly Generative AI Updates and Demos
16:34 Firefly Generative AI Transitions

Video Credits:
Producer: Stephen Beacham
Thumbnail Designer: Stephen Beacham

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#adobe #adobephotoshop #adobepremierepro #adobepremiere #aftereffects #adobeaftereffects #adobecreativecloud #adobecreativesuite

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iPhone Duo Livestream: How Many Folds Can Apple’s Phone Take? Day 12

Apple’s iPhone Duo is out and we want to see how durable it is. So we built a robot to fold it 20,000+ times a day to test its limits. How long do you think it will last? 100,000 folds? 200,000 folds? 500,000 folds? Tune in and watch the testing live. We’ll have CNET’s editors…

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Apple’s iPhone Duo is out and we want to see how durable it is. So we built a robot to fold it 20,000+ times a day to test its limits. How long do you think it will last? 100,000 folds? 200,000 folds? 500,000 folds? Tune in and watch the testing live. We’ll have CNET’s editors online to answer any of your questions.

Read more about the iPhone Duo Folding Test on CNET.com
We Answer 16 Questions About Folding the iPhone Duo Hundreds of Thousands of Times

The iPhone Duo Is Now in Our Custom-Made Foldable Phone Test Machine. Will It Beat the Galaxy Fold 8?

iPhone Duo Review: Late to the Foldable Party, but It Steals the Show

Check out the 3D Printer Matthew Murray used to print the sled that iPhone Duo is sitting on:
Looking for the Most Accurate 3D Printer? Our Exclusive Testing Reveals One Clear Winner

Video Credits:
Host: Matthew Murray
Producer: Stephen Beacham
Thumbnail Designer: Zooey Liao

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#apple #iphone #iphonefold #iphoneduo #applefoldable #foldablephone #foldable #folding

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Unboxing Sony’s PlayStation Pulse wireless headset

Sony’s new PlayStation Pulse wireless headset has AI noise rejection tech on the mic and PlayStation Link support so you can use them with your PlayStation plus other Bluetooth devices. Let’s take a look in Midnight Black and White. #playstation #headset #gamingheads #sony #unboxing You can find the products mentioned in this video linked below…

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Sony’s new PlayStation Pulse wireless headset has AI noise rejection tech on the mic and PlayStation Link support so you can use them with your PlayStation plus other Bluetooth devices. Let’s take a look in Midnight Black and White. #playstation #headset #gamingheads #sony #unboxing

You can find the products mentioned in this video linked below
*CNET may get a commission on these offers

Read more about it on CNET.com

Video Credits:
Host: Faith Chihil, David Carnoy
Video Editor: Faith Chihil

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