AI, Autonomy & What Robots Still Can’t Do (ft. Francis Govers)

Francis Govers has spent decades pushing the frontier of robotics, from building machines for NASA to designing autonomous helicopters at Airbus. But in today’s AI-hyped world, he’s refreshingly honest about what works... and what doesn’t.

In this episode, Francis shares why generative AI still can’t match professional standards for complex tasks, how swarm behavior inspires drone coordination, and why imagination in robotics may lie in “latent space.” He also shares a personal story about building a toy-cleaning robot for his grandkids, and what it taught him about real-world autonomy.

Perfect for anyone building or leading in AI, robotics, or engineering innovation.