Techcrunch disrupt 2026 introduces real world AI stage with focus on robotics, extinct species, and edge computing

TechCrunch Disrupt 2026 is introducing a Real World AI Stage, focusing on robotics, extinct species, and edge computing. The event, held October 13–15 in San Francisco, will feature Les Karpas from Nvidia discussing the data gap in robotic intelligence and Ben Lamm from Colossal Biosciences on de-extinction technologies. Sessions will cover edge computing, AI safety, and scaling deep tech startups. Additional announcements include Norway considering a ban on camera-enabled wearables, Uber’s 10% staff reduction, and Microsoft addressing an Outlook outage. The stage will also bring together leaders from defense, space, and industrial AI to discuss edge deployment challenges. John Mackey, Boris Sofman, and Adrian Macneil will share insights on scaling space hardware, humanoid robotics, and autonomous systems. Hugging Face is launching a $399 open-source duck robot, Microduck, and Nvidia is nearing an acquisition deal with the company. With over 10,000 attendees expected, the event aims to address sustainable AI development and ethical implications of emerging technologies.