EPISODE · Jun 4, 2026 · 1H 1M
How Fatherhood, Physical AI, and a Failed VR Bet Built Evan Helda's Vision
from Sky King's Mental Playground
Listen to the full podcast: https://bit.ly/SKMPHELDAPhysical AI isn't a trend, it's the convergence of everything that came before it: computer vision, spatial computing, simulation, and now generative models building entire digital worlds to train robots that will fix the healthcare shortage, staff the manufacturing gap, and maybe lower the cost of your groceries. Evan Helda, Head of Physical AI at Nebius, breaks down exactly what's in the tech stack, why VR's failure was actually the dress rehearsal for the robotics revolution, and why the real battleground right now isn't the models, it's culture. In the US, AI polling is tanking while China embraces it. One generation got TikTok instead of a college experience, and now they're booing the lifeboats. The way out, Evan argues, isn't propaganda, it's better stories. And maybe, with AI finally able to help everyone become their own Eiichiro Oda, those stories are coming.Follow Evan:Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/evanhelda/X: https://x.com/evanheldaSubstack: https://substack.com/@dreammachinesai00:30 Final Words00:41 Fatherhood Changes You03:16 Death of the Fathe06:07 The Force Multiplier09:44 Why Evan Left AWS11:47 Founder Mode at Nebius15:32 Defining Physical AI17:14 The Five-Layer Stack22:17 Physical AI Economics24:25 AI's Cultural Backlash28:30 Forward-Deployed Builders30:54 West vs. China on AI35:43 Technology Is Deflationary40:46 The Science of Awe45:07 One Piece Deep Dive50:16 AI Unlocks the Oda in You54:44 Helping Dad Mine Lithium57:22 Science Fiction & BlocksListen to the complete episodes of Sky King's Mental Playground, sign up at skmp.supercast.comFollow Sky on XSubscribe on YouTubeFollow Sky on Instagram Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
What this episode covers
Listen to the full podcast: https://bit.ly/SKMPHELDAPhysical AI isn't a trend, it's the convergence of everything that came before it: computer vision, spatial computing, simulation, and now generative models building entire digital worlds to train robots that will fix the healthcare shortage, staff the manufacturing gap, and maybe lower the cost of your groceries. Evan Helda, Head of Physical AI at Nebius, breaks down exactly what's in the tech stack, why VR's failure was actually the dress rehearsal for the robotics revolution, and why the real battleground right now isn't the models, it's culture. In the US, AI polling is tanking while China embraces it. One generation got TikTok instead of a college experience, and now they're booing the lifeboats. The way out, Evan argues, isn't propaganda, it's better stories. And maybe, with AI finally able to help everyone become their own Eiichiro Oda, those stories are coming.Follow Evan:Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/evanhelda/X: https://x.com/evanheldaSubstack: https://substack.com/@dreammachinesai00:30 Final Words00:41 Fatherhood Changes You03:16 Death of the Fathe06:07 The Force Multiplier09:44 Why Evan Left AWS11:47 Founder Mode at Nebius15:32 Defining Physical AI17:14 The Five-Layer Stack22:17 Physical AI Economics24:25 AI's Cultural Backlash28:30 Forward-Deployed Builders30:54 West vs. China on AI35:43 Technology Is Deflationary40:46 The Science of Awe45:07 One Piece Deep Dive50:16 AI Unlocks the Oda in You54:44 Helping Dad Mine Lithium57:22 Science Fiction & BlocksListen to the complete episodes of Sky King's Mental Playground, sign up at skmp.supercast.comFollow Sky on XSubscribe on YouTubeFollow Sky on Instagram Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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How Fatherhood, Physical AI, and a Failed VR Bet Built Evan Helda's Vision
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