Shield AI, Waabi and GM to Tackle High-Stakes AI Deployment at Disrupt 2026 as $200 Discount Ends
Updated
Updated · TechCrunch · Sep 24
Shield AI, Waabi and GM to Tackle High-Stakes AI Deployment at Disrupt 2026 as $200 Discount Ends
3 articles · Updated · TechCrunch · Sep 24
Summary
Nathan Michael, Raquel Urtasun and Mikell Taylor will headline a TechCrunch Disrupt 2026 session on when autonomous AI is ready to leave the lab and operate in aircraft, vehicles and robots.
The discussion centers on safety culture, testing and validation, regulatory hurdles and trust—core issues when AI errors can ground aircraft, crash vehicles or disrupt missions.
Shield AI brings recent defense momentum: its Hivemind software was picked in February for the U.S. Air Force’s Collaborative Combat Aircraft drone prototype program, and the company announced a $1.5 billion Series G in March at a $12.7 billion valuation.
Waabi adds autonomous-driving scale after raising $1 billion in January and partnering with Uber on 25,000 or more robotaxis, while GM’s robotics strategy chief will focus on designing machines people can reliably work alongside.
The session expands Disrupt’s broader AI safety agenda, one of 200-plus events at the October 13-15 San Francisco conference expected to draw more than 10,000 attendees; discounted passes expire September 25.