Shield AI, Waabi, and General Motors on building AI when failure is not an option at TechCrunch Disrupt 2026

Now Waabi is preparing to take its autonomous-driving technology much further. In January, the company raised $1 billion and announced a partnership with Uber to support the deployment of 25,000 or more Waabi Driver-powered robotaxis.

Testing and validation are central to Waabi’s approach. Its Waabi World simulator trains, tests, and stress-tests the Waabi Driver in a virtual environment, and Urtasun has said the company’s autonomous trucks still need to be fully validated before driverless deployment.

That puts one of the session’s central questions squarely in Urtasun’s wheelhouse: How do you determine when an AI system is ready to operate without a human behind the wheel?

Want to hear how autonomous-driving leaders approach testing, validation, and deployment? Secure your Disrupt pass by September 25 at 11:59 p.m. PT to save up to $200 — and get a second pass for 50% off select ticket types.

Ready to work alongside people?

Mikell Taylor has spent more than two decades building robots designed to do useful work. Today, she leads robotics strategy for General Motors ’ Autonomous Robotics Center. Previously, she led the Amazon Robotics team that developed Proteus, Amazon’s first autonomous mobile robot.

Her robotics career started in a decidedly less industrial setting: She once built a robotic senior prom date. Since then, Taylor has worked on everything from autonomous underwater vehicles to industrial robotic systems, with a focus on robots that are practical, reliable, and able to work effectively around people.

Taylor’s experience will shed light on a fundamental challenge facing real-world robotics: User experience and adoption need to be considered from the start, as part of both product design and deployment planning. That human element matters when AI-powered machines leave controlled demonstrations and enter workplaces where people have to depend on them.

How do you build autonomous systems people can work with — and trust? Register for Disrupt before September 25 at 11:59 p.m. PT to save up to $200 and to hear from leaders tackling those questions in the real world.

Learn how to know when AI is ready at Disrupt

Aircraft. Autonomous vehicles. Industrial robots. The environments may be different, but all three put the same question in sharp focus: When the consequences of failure are real, what does it take to deploy with confidence?

For founders and technology leaders building autonomous systems, the session offers a chance to compare how leaders in defense, autonomous driving, and industrial robotics approach the decisions that stand between a promising system and one that’s ready for the real world.

This session is one of 200+ across six industry stages, roundtables, and breakouts at Disrupt, taking place October 13-15 at Moscone West in San Francisco . More than 10,000 founders, investors, operators, and tech leaders are expected, along with 250+ speakers and 300+ exhibiting startups. Beyond the agenda, matchmaking, dealmaking, and networking create more opportunities to make the connections that can move a company forward.

When failure isn’t an option, “almost ready” isn’t enough. These are the last two days to save up to $200 on your Disrupt pass . Secure your ticket by September 25 at 11:59 p.m. PT — and get a second pass for 50% off select ticket types.

When you purchase through links in our articles, we may earn a small commission . This doesn’t affect our editorial independence.

Your next big connection is at Disrupt. Connect with 10,000+ founders, VCs, operators, and tech leaders. Explore tomorrow’s breakthroughs, hear what’s shaping tech today, and save up to $200 by Sept. 25 at 11:59 p.m. PT.

Meta made a Tamagotchi-like wearable for its Muse AI agent

Anthropic says its biology lab has already found something big

PitPro’s first tire-changing robot goes live in Canada

Anthropic releases Opus 5.5 with lower prices and Fable-level performance

OpenAI forms math advisory group as its AI resolves more than 100 open problems

Meta’s Muse is outpacing ChatGPT’s early mobile launch

Tilly Norwood’s press tour is going about as well as you’d expect for an AI