# 2023 year in review: GenAI, humanoids dominate robotics industry

- Show: [The Robot Report Podcast](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-robot-report-podcast)
- Published: 2023-12-21
- Length: 1h 08m
- Page: https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-robot-report-podcast/2023-12-21-2023-year-in-review-genai-humanoids-dominate-robotics-industry
- Listen: https://soundcloud.com/robot-report-podcast/2023-year-in-review-genai-humanoids-dominate-robotics-industry

## Summary

Steve Crow, Mike Oitzman, and Gene Demaitre review 2023 robotics trends, highlighting how Generative AI and humanoid robots are reshaping the industry. They discuss Ken Goldberg’s insights on large multimodal models enabling natural language interaction and action planning, while Ash Sharma and Jeff Linnell analyze the commercial potential of humanoids like Agility Robotics' Digit and Tesla's Optimus in flexible warehouse applications. The episode also covers the market slowdown, the failure of Cruise, and the rise of trailer unloading solutions from companies like Fox Robotics and Boston Dynamics.

## Chapters

- [0:08](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-robot-report-podcast/2023-12-21-2023-year-in-review-genai-humanoids-dominate-robotics-industry#t=8) Introduction: 2023 Year in Review Overview
- [5:12](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-robot-report-podcast/2023-12-21-2023-year-in-review-genai-humanoids-dominate-robotics-industry#t=312) Generative AI: Ken Goldberg on Multimodal Models
- [16:40](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-robot-report-podcast/2023-12-21-2023-year-in-review-genai-humanoids-dominate-robotics-industry#t=1000) Gen AI in Robotics: Jeff Linnell on Data and Operations
- [25:31](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-robot-report-podcast/2023-12-21-2023-year-in-review-genai-humanoids-dominate-robotics-industry#t=1531) Humanoids: Ash Sharma on Agility Digit and Tesla Optimus
- [37:22](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-robot-report-podcast/2023-12-21-2023-year-in-review-genai-humanoids-dominate-robotics-industry#t=2242) Humanoid Safety and Standards: Aaron Prather on ASTM
- [40:38](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-robot-report-podcast/2023-12-21-2023-year-in-review-genai-humanoids-dominate-robotics-industry#t=2438) Warehouse Automation: AMRs, Consolidation, and Trailer Unloading
- [44:54](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-robot-report-podcast/2023-12-21-2023-year-in-review-genai-humanoids-dominate-robotics-industry#t=2694) Trailer Unloading: Kevin Lawton on Fox Robotics and Boston Dynamics
- [50:29](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-robot-report-podcast/2023-12-21-2023-year-in-review-genai-humanoids-dominate-robotics-industry#t=3029) Autonomous Driving: The Cruise Failure and Industry Slowdown
- [56:07](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-robot-report-podcast/2023-12-21-2023-year-in-review-genai-humanoids-dominate-robotics-industry#t=3367) Market Slowdown: Economic Factors and the Chips Act

## Topics

- [AI & machine learning](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/ai-and-machine-learning)
- [Robotics & autonomy](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/robotics-and-autonomy)
- [Scaling production](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/scaling-production)
- [Policy, trade & tariffs](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/policy-trade-and-tariffs)
- [Hiring & workforce](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/hiring-and-workforce)

## Most relevant to

early-stage companies, companies scaling up, large enterprises

## Mentioned

- Agility Robotics (company)
- Tesla (company)
- Optimus (product)
- Digit (product)
- Cruise (company)
- Waymo (company)
- Fox Robotics (company)
- Boston Dynamics (company)
- Stretch (product)
- Mujin (company)
- Slip Robotics (company)
- Interact Analysis (company)
- ASTM International (company)
- Rockwell Automation (company)
- Clear Path Robotics (company)
- Six River Systems (company)
- Amazon (company)
- GXO Logistics (company)
- NVIDIA (company)
- Google (company)
- ChatGPT (product)

## Related episodes from other shows

- [203: Humanoid Robots: Industrial Applications, Safety, and Going Beyond the Hype to Solve Real Problems Featuring Agility Robotics' Melonee Wise](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/manufacturing-happy-hour/2024-09-17-203-humanoid-robots-industrial-applications-safety-and-going-beyond-the-hype-to) (Manufacturing Happy Hour)
- [191: The State of Robotics: Live From the 2024 Robotics Summit & Expo in Boston, MA](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/manufacturing-happy-hour/2024-06-25-191-the-state-of-robotics-live-from-the-2024-robotics-summit-expo-in-boston-ma) (Manufacturing Happy Hour)
- [OpenAI Goes Open Source and just dropped GPT 5 + Google's Interactive 3D World Generator](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/built-2-scale/2025-08-07-openai-goes-open-source-and-just-dropped-gpt-5-googles-interactive-3d-world-gene) (Built 2 Scale)
- [OpenAI's SORA 2 Drops + WE CALLED THE BUBBLE TOP + Shopping Agents Win](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/built-2-scale/2025-10-03-openais-sora-2-drops-we-called-the-bubble-top-shopping-agents-win) (Built 2 Scale)
- [The Intelligence Big Bang](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/built-2-scale/2025-07-11-the-intelligence-big-bang) (Built 2 Scale)

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