The Robots Are Taking Over?

While the concept of robots supplanting humans may seem the stuff of science fiction, it is in fact advancing rapidly in all sorts of real-world applications – healthcare, manufacturing, even warfare. Allison Okamura, a Hoover science fellow, Stanford University engineering professor and contributor to this year’s Stanford Emerging Technology Review (SETR), discusses robotics’ growth in present-day and future societies. Among the topics discussed: how the 10 science and technology reports within the SETR review are interwoven; the integration of robotics into everyday life; a “100,000-year data gap” and massive shortage of training data for physical robot manipulation; Elon Musk’s new Optimus Gen 3 model and the feasibility of robotic workforces; the public’s comfort level with autonomous technology (would you take a Waymo to the airport?); what the future may hold (better robotic “brains” and “bodies” and soft shape-changing fabrics, greater intelligence and physical autonomy, improvements in robotic hands and humanoids’ dexterous manipulation). Recorded on February 4, 2026. RELATED SOURCES Learn more about the Stanford Emerging Technology Review. Learn more about the Technology Policy Accelerator.