Editors look back at 2025
In this annual Year in Review podcast (Episode 225), host Steve Crowe is joined by the entire Robot Report editorial team—Mike Oitzman, Eugene Demaitre, and Brianna Wessling—to break down the most impactful events in robotics from 2025. The team discusses the highs and lows of the robotics industry from the past year, including major bankruptcies, significant acquisitions, and the geopolitical factors reshaping manufacturing and defense.
The episode also features insights from industry leaders on the explosion of humanoid robots, advancements in physical AI, and the evolution of autonomous systems.
A recap of an eventful year in robotics
Here are some of the topics that Steve, Mike, Gene, and Brianna discuss:
Show timeline and guests
This episode features the voices of several industry leaders:
4:49 – Evan Helda, head of AI for Nebius, on data engines, world models, and pipelines for feeding complex AI systems
26:22 – Chris Matthieu, vice president of the developer ecosystem at RealSense, on open-source brains for physical AI and the rise of robot sports
43:48 – John Santagate, founder and principal consultant of warehouse automation consultancy EMP Advisors, on the three monumental moments of 2025 (humanoids, tote-to-person, and multi-agent orchestration)
Thanks again to these individuals and all our guests on The Robot Report Podcast in the past year! We wish all our listeners Happy Holidays, and we look forward to continuing to share more conversations in 2026!
