Where Intelligence Meets the Physical
Henry Kim ·
"Where Intelligence Meets the Physical"
While keeping up with news related to CES 2026, a thought suddenly occurred to me. Just last year, regardless of the industry, the main topic was 'how to integrate AI into software.' This year, however, the atmosphere has completely changed, as the news on screen is entirely dominated by robotics.
This is a different era from when Boston Dynamics used to show off mechanical prowess, boasting, "Our robots can even do somersaults like this." Today's robotics is no longer just a showcase demonstrating novel movements. When advanced AI intelligence embodies a physical machine, it makes us imagine what specific problems it can solve in real-world settings.
Robots are no longer mere machines. This is where I find robotics intensely fascinating. Frankly, until now, AI for me was a technology existing in the virtual space of a monitor. But the moment AI crosses over into the Physical realm, the rules of the game completely change.
Let's take a sober look at reality. The virtual AI landscape, that is, the realm of software and logic, no matter how hard we try, ultimately remains within the grasp of giant foundation model companies like OpenAI and Google. If they change their API policies or release new features, countless startups collapse overnight – that is the current reality.
But the physical world is different. For AI to combine with real physical environments, powerful variables like 'local' and 'domain' are necessary. Saskatchewan's rugged farmlands, unique climate, and our specific industrial sites are areas that ChatGPT cannot learn from internet data alone. It is precisely at this point that our own moat exists, which even giant corporations cannot easily breach.
This is not merely a story about me personally or a specific company. I have always pondered, "How can Saskatchewan survive amidst this massive wave of AI?" And I dare say that the world of physical robots is the decisive breakthrough given to us.
Our specialized on-site experience in agriculture, mining, manufacturing, and the know-how of the people working in these fields must be combined with AI intelligence. Not merely keeping AI as a chatbot on a screen, but bringing it out as a tool for demanding, hands-on environments. That will be the only survival strategy for our region to escape the dominance of Big Tech and seize leadership.