Beyond the Chatbot: Designing the Age of Physical AI

For decades, technology has asked people to adapt to machines. AI creates an opportunity to reverse that relationship.

Having helped bring multiple waves of technology to market—from personal computing and mobile devices to connected products and wearables—Robert Brunner has seen firsthand that breakthrough technologies succeed not because of what they can do, but because of how well they fit into people's lives. Today, AI presents a similar inflection point. As intelligence becomes embedded in products and environments, we are entering an era where technology can learn from people rather than forcing people to learn technology. The challenge is no longer creating intelligence—it's designing experiences that earn trust, understand context, and improve daily life.

In this session, Robert explores how design will shape the next wave of AI-enabled products and why the most transformative opportunities may emerge not on screens, but in the physical spaces where people live, work, and care for one another. Through examples spanning consumer electronics, wearables, and new AI-native products, he will explore the emerging category of Physical AI—products that perceive, learn, and adapt to the people and environments around them—and why they may represent the next major platform shift in computing.