Capital Ideas Podcast The age of robots
Sep 18, 2025
Mihir Mehta, an equity analyst specializing in robotics and AI, dives into the fascinating intersection of these technologies. He discusses how we're witnessing the emergence of advanced robots, drawing parallels with smartphone adoption trends. Mihir also explores the diverse applications of robotics across industries like healthcare and logistics. He emphasizes the transformative impact of AI on robotic capabilities and the economic implications of automation, while offering insights on investment opportunities and the importance of reskilling for workers.
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AI Gives Robots Real-World Competence
- AI is giving robots competence, not consciousness, enabling real-world autonomy.
- We are near the knee of the S-curve and adoption could accelerate rapidly over the next decade.
Robotics Market Could Expand 4–5x By 2030
- The robotics market is roughly $50 billion today and could expand to $200–250 billion by 2030.
- That implies a multi-year 30–40% compound growth and earlier-than-expected adoption.
Smartphone-Like Adoption With Higher Prices
- Robotics could follow a smartphone-like adoption path but with higher average selling prices.
- Payback horizons near two to three years and rising wages will accelerate the crossover point.