AI-native manufacturing: agents on the factory floor AI is everywhere today ... except the factory. What does AI-native manufacturing look like? Is it possible? Can AI agents help manufacturers produce more product at better quality? And, maybe also enable onshoring or re-shoring? In this TechFirst episode, host John Koetsier sits down with Apprentice CEO and founder Angelo Stracquatanio to explore what AI-native manufacturing really means, and why traditional AI models fall short in production environments.

AI-native manufacturing: agents on the factory floor

AI is everywhere today ... except the factory. What does AI-native manufacturing look like? Is it possible? Can AI agents help manufacturers produce more product at better quality? And, maybe also enable onshoring or re-shoring? In this…

Unhackable GPS-free navigation What happens when GPS goes down: jammed, spoofed, or completely denied? In this episode of TechFirst, host John Koetsier sits down with Michael Biercuk, founder and CEO of Q-CTRL, to explore one of the most surprising breakthroughs in quantum technology: quantum navigation. While most of the quantum world is focused on computing, Q-CTRL is building something entirely different: AI-powered quantum sensing systems that can navigate aircraft, drones, and vehicles without GPS.

Unhackable GPS-free navigation

What happens when GPS goes down: jammed, spoofed, or completely denied? In this episode of TechFirst, host John Koetsier sits down with Michael Biercuk, founder and CEO of Q-CTRL, to explore one of the most surprising breakthroughs in quantum technology: quantum…

How 2,000 Tons Of Sand Stores 100 Megawatt-Hours And Slashes Carbon Emissions 70% Just posted to my Forbes column about a surprisingly simple idea that could play a big role in cutting emissions: storing energy in sand. The piece looks at a massive “sand battery” in Finland that stores 100 megawatt-hours of energy by heating sand and holding that heat until it’s needed. It’s already helping a small town slash carbon emissions by 70% while lowering energy costs, thanks to the ability to store cheap renewable power and use it later for heating.

How 2,000 Tons Of Sand Stores 100 Megawatt-Hours And Slashes Carbon Emissions 70%

Just posted to my Forbes column about a surprisingly simple idea that could play a big role in cutting emissions: storing energy in sand. The piece looks at a massive “sand battery” in Finland that stores 100…

Humanoid Robots’ 88% Fail Rate: Completing Home Tasks Just posted to my Forbes column about why humanoid robots still aren’t ready to take over your household chores. Despite the buzz and falling prices, the latest 2026 AI Index Report from Stanford shows that today’s robots can only safely complete about 12% of real-world home tasks. They perform impressively in simulations, but once you put them in messy, unpredictable environments like your kitchen or living room, things fall apart quickly.

Humanoid Robots’ 88% Fail Rate: Completing Home Tasks

Just posted to my Forbes column about why humanoid robots still aren’t ready to take over your household chores. Despite the buzz and falling prices, the latest 2026 AI Index Report from Stanford shows that today’s robots can only safely…

OpenClaw busting its little butt trying to do a simple 226-line JSON database insert ...

Sometimes you feel like you're in the future.

Sometimes you feel like you're back in the Stone Age.

:-)

AI Transformation: No-One’s At The Wheel, Says 500-Company Study Just posted to my Forbes column about the breakneck pace of AI adoption and the growing leadership gap behind it. Companies are racing to embed AI into everything, with revenues in the space skyrocketing in just months. But a new global survey shows something striking: most organizations still don’t know who is actually accountable for AI decisions. Very few have a clear strategy, employees feel uncertain or even fearful, and leadership ownership is surprisingly rare.

AI Transformation: No-One’s At The Wheel, Says 500-Company Study

Just posted to my Forbes column about the breakneck pace of AI adoption and the growing leadership gap behind it. Companies are racing to embed AI into everything, with revenues in the space skyrocketing in just months. But a new…

Are agents the new apps … or just AI hype? Are AI agents really the future of software — or just the latest wave of hype? In this episode of TechFirst, host John Koetsier sits down with Don Murray, CEO of Safe Software, to break down what’s actually happening with “agentic AI.” From AI-washing and “agent-washing” to real-world use cases in coding, automation, and enterprise software, we cut through as much noise as possible.

Are agents the new apps … or just AI hype?

Are AI agents really the future of software — or just the latest wave of hype? In this episode of TechFirst, host John Koetsier sits down with Don Murray, CEO of Safe Software, to break down what’s actually happening with “agentic AI.” From AI-washing and…

Check out some of the most impressive robot hands I’ve ever seen … Let's be honest: most robot hands suck. They're often just claws, or grippers, or stiff plastic mannequin hands that are all show and no go. But great humanoid robots — and many other kinds of robots — need great hands to work like we do, to help around our homes, and to work effectively in our factories and warehouses. The problem?

Check out some of the most impressive robot hands I’ve ever seen …

Let's be honest: most robot hands suck. They're often just claws, or grippers, or stiff plastic mannequin hands that are all show and no go. But great humanoid robots — and many other kinds of robots — need great hands to work like…

Will our children ever see a natural starlit night sky again?

SpaceX wants to put 40,000 satellites up

Blue Origin wants to install 52,000 in near earth orbit

Just imagine the first space war when nations start targeting them ... how much lethal space debris there will be.

that is where agents can do the most good, and be the most dangerous, because rather than rule-based deterministic systems, they are probabilistic like us ...

so yeah: opportunity and danger

:-)

The agentic enterprise of tomorrow What does the agentic enterprise of tomorrow look like? What happens when AI can build software in hours and agents can run entire business processes? In this episode of TechFirst, John Koetsier sits down with UiPath CEO Daniel Dines and CMO Michael Atalla to unpack one of the biggest shifts in enterprise technology: the rise of the agentic enterprise.

The agentic enterprise of tomorrow

What does the agentic enterprise of tomorrow look like? What happens when AI can build software in hours and agents can run entire business processes? In this episode of TechFirst, John Koetsier sits down with UiPath CEO Daniel Dines and CMO Michael Atalla to…

The Startup Trying To Give AI A Soul Just posted to my Forbes column about a fascinating idea that could reshape how we think about artificial intelligence. Instead of building AI that simply sounds human for a few minutes, Ego AI founder Vishnu Hari is trying to create persistent AI characters: systems that remember experiences, develop behavioral patterns, and maintain a consistent personality over time. The idea is that real human-like interaction comes not from clever text generation but from continuity.

The Startup Trying To Give AI A Soul

Just posted to my Forbes column about a fascinating idea that could reshape how we think about artificial intelligence. Instead of building AI that simply sounds human for a few minutes, Ego AI founder Vishnu Hari is trying to create persistent AI characters:…

Hello OpenAI And OpenClaw, Docker Just Got An Agent Too: NanoClaw Just posted to my Forbes column about a fascinating shift happening in the AI agent world, and why security may become the most important part of the story. AI coding agents like OpenClaw are exploding in popularity. People are using them to build slides, manage email, pick stocks, and even run social media. But giving autonomous software access to your files, systems, and accounts comes with serious risks.

Hello OpenAI And OpenClaw, Docker Just Got An Agent Too: NanoClaw

Just posted to my Forbes column about a fascinating shift happening in the AI agent world, and why security may become the most important part of the story. AI coding agents like OpenClaw are exploding in popularity. People are…

NanoClaw is a new OpenClaw, but safer NanoClaw is a new agent inspired by OpenClaw, but without the massive security risks you get with OpenClaw. Essentially, it's a safer OpenClaw. What if you could run a powerful AI agent on your own machine: one that can browse, automate tasks, connect to apps, and even manage your workflow ... but without the massive security risks? That’s the idea behind…

NanoClaw is a new OpenClaw, but safer

NanoClaw is a new agent inspired by OpenClaw, but without the massive security risks you get with OpenClaw. Essentially, it's a safer OpenClaw. What if you could run a powerful AI agent on your own machine: one that can browse, automate tasks, connect to apps,…

Yann LeCun Got $1 Billion For World Model AI. These Robots Learned 1,000 Real-World Tasks In 24 Hours Just posted to my Forbes column about a fascinating shift in how researchers are thinking about training robots. Instead of relying on ever-larger AI models with more parameters and more data, some scientists are exploring ways to help robots learn more like humans. I spoke with Imperial College London robotics lab director Edward Johns about a new method that lets robots learn up to 1,000 real-world manipulation tasks in less than a day, sometimes from just a single human demonstration.

Yann LeCun Got $1 Billion For World Model AI. These Robots Learned 1,000 Real-World Tasks In 24 Hours

Just posted to my Forbes column about a fascinating shift in how researchers are thinking about training robots. Instead of relying on ever-larger AI models with more parameters and more data,…

A judge just fired a warning shot at AI agents.

In Amazon vs Perplexity, the court said platforms can block AI agents from accessing their systems even if the user authorized them.

In other words: user permission may not be enough.

More:
www.forbes.com/sites/johnko...

Judge: AI Agents Can’t Act On Your Behalf Without Platform Permission Just posted to my Forbes column about a court ruling that could shape the future of AI agents and how they interact with major platforms. A federal judge in the Northern District of California ruled that AI agents cannot access a company’s systems without the platform’s permission, even if the user themselves authorized the agent. The case centers on Amazon’s attempt to block Perplexity’s Comet agent, which can log into Amazon and shop on a user’s behalf.

Judge: AI Agents Can’t Act On Your Behalf Without Platform Permission

Just posted to my Forbes column about a court ruling that could shape the future of AI agents and how they interact with major platforms. A federal judge in the Northern District of California ruled that AI agents cannot access…

Teaching robots like humans Imagine teaching a robot 1000 tasks in just 24 hours. Imagine teaching robots just like you teach humans. In fact, what if teaching a robot were as easy as showing it once? Humans can learn new skills almost instantly by watching, trying, or receiving a quick explanation. Robots, historically, haven’t been so lucky. Training them often requires huge datasets with real or virtual data, massive engineering effort, and weeks or months of experimentation.

Teaching robots like humans

Imagine teaching a robot 1000 tasks in just 24 hours. Imagine teaching robots just like you teach humans. In fact, what if teaching a robot were as easy as showing it once? Humans can learn new skills almost instantly by watching, trying, or receiving a quick…

Very exciting!

Here Are The 6 Safest Jobs With Least AI Risk, According to Anthropic Just posted to my Forbes column about one of the biggest questions people are asking right now: which jobs are actually safest from AI? The surprising answer comes from a recent report by Anthropic. While a lot of attention focuses on AI replacing knowledge workers like programmers, analysts, and customer service reps, the data suggests that jobs which involve hands-on physical work, real-world environments, and face-to-face service are currently the least exposed to AI automation.

Here Are The 6 Safest Jobs With Least AI Risk, According to Anthropic

Just posted to my Forbes column about one of the biggest questions people are asking right now: which jobs are actually safest from AI? The surprising answer comes from a recent report by Anthropic. While a lot of attention…

1. Business idea: monitor prediction markets for quick surges, make smart bets quickly

2. Global intelligence agencies: do the same, be aware of tomorrow's news today

Prediction markets are leak engines.

Will AI Kill Hollywood? This Legendary Exec Says Lean In Hard Now Just posted to my Forbes column about the wild moment Hollywood finds itself in right now. Streaming reshaped the entertainment industry over the past decade, but now we’re seeing an even bigger wave of disruption. Massive consolidation is underway, with Paramount and Warner Bros. looking to combine forces, while AI is suddenly capable of generating shockingly realistic video with almost no effort.

Will AI Kill Hollywood? This Legendary Exec Says Lean In Hard Now

Just posted to my Forbes column about the wild moment Hollywood finds itself in right now. Streaming reshaped the entertainment industry over the past decade, but now we’re seeing an even bigger wave of disruption. Massive…

You Can Now Rent This Robot For $1,000 Per Day Just posted to my Forbes column about Agibot’s new robots-as-a-service model, which lets you rent a humanoid robot for a cool $1,000 per day. On the surface, that sounds like a big step toward making robots more accessible. Agibot will deliver, set up and support its A2 humanoids, X2 compact bots, and even its industrial G2 model. For events, brand activations or short-term tests, that price can actually make sense compared to buying a robot outright, which likely runs into the low six figures.

You Can Now Rent This Robot For $1,000 Per Day

Just posted to my Forbes column about Agibot’s new robots-as-a-service model, which lets you rent a humanoid robot for a cool $1,000 per day. On the surface, that sounds like a big step toward making robots more accessible. Agibot will deliver, set up…

Giving AI a human soul (and a body) Can we give an AI human emotions? A soul? Can AI truly feel, or will it just act like it does? In this episode of TechFirst, I talk with Vishnu Hari, founder and CEO of Ego AI (backed by Y Combinator) and former AI product manager at Meta), about building emotionally intelligent AI characters that persist across games, Discord, chat, and even physical robots.

Giving AI a human soul (and a body)

Can we give an AI human emotions? A soul? Can AI truly feel, or will it just act like it does? In this episode of TechFirst, I talk with Vishnu Hari, founder and CEO of Ego AI (backed by Y Combinator) and former AI product manager at Meta), about building…

Report: Jobs That Are Most And Least Impacted By AI Just posted to my Forbes column about a new study suggesting that 93% of jobs in the U.S. can now be done at least partially by AI, representing up to $4.5 trillion in potential labor shifts. The scale of change is staggering, and it’s happening faster than many expected. In my conversation with Cognizant CTO Babak Hodjat on the TechFirst…

Report: Jobs That Are Most And Least Impacted By AI

Just posted to my Forbes column about a new study suggesting that 93% of jobs in the U.S. can now be done at least partially by AI, representing up to $4.5 trillion in potential labor shifts. The scale of change is staggering, and it’s happening…

AI Is Making Us Less Creative, But There’s A Fix Just posted to my Forbes column about a fascinating new study suggesting AI may actually be making us less creative, even as it makes us more productive. In a conversation on TechFirst, Professor Saeema Ahmed-Kristensen shared research from the Digit Lab in the UK comparing 600 human participants with 12,000 ideas generated by large language models. The finding is striking: AI is incredibly fluent, producing a high volume of ideas, but humans are far more flexible, generating ideas that truly diverge from one another.

AI Is Making Us Less Creative, But There’s A Fix

Just posted to my Forbes column about a fascinating new study suggesting AI may actually be making us less creative, even as it makes us more productive. In a conversation on TechFirst, Professor Saeema Ahmed-Kristensen shared research from the…

Human-Free Businesses? AI + Agents + Robots = Eastworld Labs Just posted to my Forbes column about a conversation that left me both fascinated and uneasy: what happens when starting a real-world business becomes as easy as generating an AI image? In my interview with Jansen Teng, the founder of Virtuals Protocol, he described launching Eastworld Labs, an accelerator designed to let entrepreneurs spin up physical businesses powered by AI agents and humanoid robots.

Human-Free Businesses? AI + Agents + Robots = Eastworld Labs

Just posted to my Forbes column about a conversation that left me both fascinated and uneasy: what happens when starting a real-world business becomes as easy as generating an AI image? In my interview with Jansen Teng, the founder of…

AI, agents, robots: our insane WestWorld future Is your AI agent running a restaurant — or a factory — while you sleep? In this episode of TechFirst, John Koetsier sits down with Jensen Teng, CEO and co-founder of Virtuals Protocol, to unpack one of the boldest (or craziest) visions in tech today: a hybrid economy powered by AI agents, humanoid robots, teleoperation, and blockchain coordination.

AI, agents, robots: our insane WestWorld future

Is your AI agent running a restaurant — or a factory — while you sleep? In this episode of TechFirst, John Koetsier sits down with Jensen Teng, CEO and co-founder of Virtuals Protocol, to unpack one of the boldest (or craziest) visions in tech today:…

AI is killing creativity Is AI killing creativity ... or just making it easier to be average? 94% of creatives now use AI. But only 11% believe it actually makes them more creative. So what’s really happening? In this episode of TechFirst, John Koetsier sits down with Saeema Ahmed-Kristensen, former head of design engineering research at Imperial College London’s Dyson School and now leader of a £24M research portfolio at the University of Exeter.

AI is killing creativity

Is AI killing creativity ... or just making it easier to be average? 94% of creatives now use AI. But only 11% believe it actually makes them more creative. So what’s really happening? In this episode of TechFirst, John Koetsier sits down with Saeema Ahmed-Kristensen,…

Can Smartphones Replace $25,000 Eye-Testing Gear? This Startup Says Yes A Danish startup says your next eye exam could happen through your phone. Copenhagen-based OptikosPrime claims it can generate a full vision prescription using nothing more than a standard smartphone camera. Unlike apps that simply screen for blurry vision, its Argus prototype moves into true refraction, the precise measurement required to prescribe corrective lenses. The company reports a mean absolute error of 0.51 diopters and is aiming for the 0.25 diopter clinical standard used in professional prescriptions.

Can Smartphones Replace $25,000 Eye-Testing Gear? This Startup Says Yes

A Danish startup says your next eye exam could happen through your phone. Copenhagen-based OptikosPrime claims it can generate a full vision prescription using nothing more than a standard smartphone camera. Unlike apps that…