Wendy Tan White, CEO of the robotics and artificial intelligence software company Intrinsic, is looking to make the use and training of industrial robots easier. Intrinsic previously operated as part of the "Other Bets" group at Alphabet, outside of Google, but joined Google as an independent entity earlier this year and works closely with DeepMind.
Open Source Software for Small Manufacturers
In September, Intrinsic announced that the foundational software necessary for building and operating industrial robots would be made available for free and as open source. The goal of this initiative is to enable the use of robots for small manufacturers who cannot afford the high costs of custom technology. In the long term, Google and Intrinsic hope to become a platform provider based on this software for production. Tan White describes this project as "robotic and AI Android."
Wendy Tan White's Experience and Perspective
Wendy Tan White has extensive experience as an entrepreneur, investor, and executive. Before founding Intrinsic, she worked as a partner in various technology investments and also served as Vice President at Alphabet's Moonshot Factory (X). She launched Intrinsic in 2021, separating it from X.
In recent discussions, Tan White pointed out the challenges in manufacturing and the role of robotics in improving these processes. She believes that the manufacturing process has not changed much in recent years and that there is always a need to optimize costs and increase production volume. She believes that the introduction of robotics can help manufacturers produce a wider variety of products at lower costs while also preventing inventory waste.
Tan White also highlighted the risks of dangerous and repetitive jobs, from which many skilled workers have withdrawn due to the COVID-19 pandemic. She believes that robotics and AI can be suitable replacements for such jobs and can help manufacturers produce locally instead of shipping raw materials to other countries.
She further stated that by using robotics and artificial intelligence, manufacturers can achieve more flexible and smarter methods. Tan White noted that Intrinsic is currently continuing its operations as an independent entity, and this independence allows them to achieve greater innovations.
Given that the company has recently joined Google, Tan White emphasized that this merger has had a positive impact on their workflow and enables them to continue their leadership in innovation. She expressed satisfaction with Google's support, stating that this collaboration could help further expand access to robotics technology.
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