Capital Ideas Podcast The age of robots
Sep 18, 2025
Mihir Mehta, an equity analyst specializing in robotics and AI, dives into the fascinating intersection of these technologies. He discusses how we're witnessing the emergence of advanced robots, drawing parallels with smartphone adoption trends. Mihir also explores the diverse applications of robotics across industries like healthcare and logistics. He emphasizes the transformative impact of AI on robotic capabilities and the economic implications of automation, while offering insights on investment opportunities and the importance of reskilling for workers.
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Smartphone-Like Adoption With Higher Prices
- Robotics could follow a smartphone-like adoption path but with higher average selling prices.
- Payback horizons near two to three years and rising wages will accelerate the crossover point.
Amazon's Millionth Robot And Broader Trials
- Mihir notes Amazon deployed its millionth robot and improved pickable-item coverage from 60% to 75%.
- He cites trials of delivery robots assisting drivers as examples of expanding use cases.
AI Enables Perception, Reasoning And Fleet Learning
- AI breakthroughs let robots perceive, reason and adapt in messy physical environments.
- Shared foundational models and fleet learning accelerate capability improvements across deployments.