While the markets fall… AI stands up
You may have felt like Isaac Newton over the past few weeks, discovering gravity as you watched global stock markets plummet before your eyes. Unfortunately for you, gravity was already discovered, and this week it won’t be the best topic of conversation—nor will the stock market, to be honest. But not all is lost in your quest to find something new to share with your colleagues. There’s an emerging field in artificial intelligence that’s still not widely discussed or fully understood: Physical AI.
Yes, I know—another big thing in AI? Really? Yep. We happen to be in a strange and lucky moment in which multiple major breakthroughs are happening at the same time, in the same year, even in the same months. That’s a good thing—and it’s part of living in an era of exponential change. If you’re not sure what’s going on or what these leaps are about, take a look at my other columns (for example, this one on Artificial General Intelligence or this one, about how Deepseek surprised Western model developers).
Who ordered a robot with a mind of its own?
Physical AI sounds futuristic, but what exactly is it? In general terms, it’s the deployment of artificial intelligence systems in the real world through—yes, you guessed it—physical systems. Sometimes they show up as humanoid robots, but often they’ll look like strange machines custom-designed to adapt to a particular environment. What they all have in common is that they’ll be hyper-intelligent, thanks to the latest in agentic AI: capable of understanding their surroundings, learning from experience, adapting as new challenges arise, and operating with relative autonomy once given instructions—by a human, hopefully.
The use cases for these systems are nearly endless when you think of all the jobs society needs done, but where there aren’t enough people willing or available to do them. Think of high-risk roles in manufacturing, heavy labor in agriculture, or working hundreds of meters underground in mining. These are all ideal scenarios for robots to support human workers and help fill labor gaps.
Beyond that, these systems could also be deployed in industries currently facing labor shortages—like healthcare, elder care, or even restocking shelves at the supermarket. It’ll depend on the long-term economic model that companies and customers choose. If a robot costs $45,000 up front and has monthly operating costs around $250, we could see a major shift toward robotic solutions. No sick leave, no vacations, no breaks—and no office drama.
So, when will you see a robot in your office or your city? While the direction is clear, the timelines are less so. Most experts estimate we’ll see broader deployment of physical AI systems in the workplace by the end of this decade—though simpler or early-stage versions will likely appear before then. But just like with any general-purpose technology—from cell phones to the internet to more recent advances like ChatGPT—we need that moment when use, cost, simplicity, and access come together to unlock real scale.
Embodied AI demands thoughtful minds
At the same time, as business leaders, investors, employers, and employees, we need to reflect on what a world with Physical AI will look like. Will we focus solely on profit, prioritizing returns above everything else? Or will we look for ways to complement and expand the capabilities of the global workforce to generate more opportunity for people? I know that AI will inevitably replace certain roles, but I always encourage people to take a conscious approach—and look for ways to support everyone in living the best life possible in this new era of exponential change and vast opportunity. To build the world we want to live in tomorrow, we need to start thinking about these shifts today.
So, if the markets fall again tomorrow (yet again), you can lift the mood in the meeting by saying:
“Don’t worry about the stock market—I just read an article that said robots will take care of us in our old age, and for way less than we thought. So we’re good.”
Remember: the future (and fortune) favors those who are prepared and take action. You’re already reading this, so clearly you’re prepared. The question is: will you be proactive too?
I’m betting you will.
Originally published in Spanish for Fast Company Mexico:
https://fastcompany.mx/2025/04/24/mientras-bolsas-caen-ia-levanta/
