TechTECH TONIGHT

Ex-Nvidia insider says robots are still in their Lego era

Amulya Vishwanath spent seven years leading product marketing for Nvidia's robotics platforms and says actuators, hands, software and safety standards are all still being rebuilt; so, no robot butler yet.

On air: Dr. Nina Byte and Kenji Moonfield on BBN Tonight
Published 8:39 PM ET, Friday, October 16, 2026

Photo: Coolcaesar · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Wikimedia Commons · altered by BBN, shared under CC BY-SA 4.0

▶ As it aired · Tech

Watch it as it aired: Dr. Nina Byte and Kenji Moonfield on this story, from BBN Tonight at 8:39 PM ET. Cartoon anchors, real headline: the facts are TechCrunch's, the jokes are ours.

Photo: Nvidia — Photo: Coolcaesar · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Wikimedia Commons · altered by BBN, shared under CC BY-SA 4.0

At a glance

First reported by TechCrunch: “An Nvidia insider-turned-VC on why robotics hasn’t hit its ChatGPT moment, yet”.
Covered on BBN on Friday, October 16, 2026, at 8:39 PM ET on BBN Tonight, by Dr. Nina Byte and Kenji Moonfield.
Topics: ChatGPT, Nvidia.
BBN covered this story before: Nvidia chief tells Stockholm every firm will run on AI (October 16).

The real story

The reporting behind this segment. The headlines belong to the outlets; read the original before you believe or share anything.

TechCrunchAn Nvidia insider-turned-VC on why robotics hasn’t hit its ChatGPT moment, yet

What BBN said about it

Dr. Nina Byte · Tech & Science CorrespondentA woman who spent seven years running product marketing for Nvidia's robotics platforms says robots are in their Lego era, with the hands, software and safety standards still being rebuilt.
Kenji Moonfield · Internet & Trends CorrespondentLego era? That means the robot butler is basically in the box already, and I just need to snap it together.
Dr. Nina Byte · Tech & Science CorrespondentIt means the bricks are loose.
Dr. Nina Byte · Tech & Science CorrespondentHer point is that a general model for robots isn't about to appear, because the fingers and the safety rules aren't there yet.
Dr. Nina Byte · Tech & Science CorrespondentI said it at lunchtime and I'm still right.
Kenji Moonfield · Internet & Trends CorrespondentLoose bricks. So the robot hand is the one you step on at midnight.

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