TechFirst with John Koetsier

Updated: 28 Oct 2025 • 340 episodes
johnkoetsier.com/category/tech-first

Tech that is changing the world. Innovators who are shaping the future. Deep discussions with diverse leaders from Silicon Valley giants and scrappy global startups. Plus some short monologues based on my Forbes columns.

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Artificial general intelligence (AGI) could be humanity’s greatest invention ... or our biggest risk. In this episode of TechFirst, I talk with Dr. Ben Goertzel, CEO and founder of SingularityNET, about the future of AGI, the possibility of superintelligence, and what happens when machines think beyond human programmin

29 min
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29:57
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What changes when robots deliver everything? Starship Technologies has already completed 9 million autonomous deliveries, crossed roads over 200 million times, and operates thousands of sidewalk delivery robots across Europe and the U.S. Now they’re scaling into American cities ... and they say they’re ready to change

28 min
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Imagine a quantum computer with a million physical qubits in a space smaller than a sticky note. That’s exactly what Quantum Art is building. In this TechFirst episode, I chat with CEO Tal David, who shares his team’s vision to deliver quantum systems with: • 100x more parallel operations • 100x more gates per second •

17 min
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Are humanoid robots distracting us from the real unlock in robotics ... hands? In this TechFirst episode, host John Koetsier digs into the hardest (and most valuable) problem in robotics: dexterous manipulation. Guest Mike Obolonsky, Partner at Cortical Ventures, argues that about $50 trillion of global economic activi

30 min
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Are humanoid robots the future… or a $100B mistake? Over 100 companies—from Meta to Amazon—are betting big on humanoids. But are we chasing a sci-fi dream that’s not practical or profitable? In this TechFirst episode, I chat with Bren Pierce, robotics OG and CEO of Kinisi Robots. We cover: - Why legs might be overhyped

30 min
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The future could be much healthier for both farmers and everyone who eats, thanks to farm robots that kill weeds with lasers. In this episode of TechFirst, we chat with Paul Mikesell, CEO of Carbon Robotics, to discuss groundbreaking advancements in agricultural technology. Paul shares updates since our last conversati

25 min
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