After three decades in consumer robotics, Colin Angle is still asking the hardest questions about trust, value, and what robots are actually for.

Colin Angle, co-founder and former CEO of iRobot, joins Automated for a candid conversation about the rise of consumer robotics, the collapse of the Amazon acquisition, and what comes next for physical AI.

He explains why Roomba was never a “science project,” how regulatory delays reshaped the company’s future, and why the next generation of robots must focus on trust, value, and real human interaction, not just humanoid hype.

The conversation also looks forward. Colin shares how his thinking has evolved after three decades in consumer robotics, why trust and value creation remain the hardest problems to solve, and what excites him about the next era of physical AI, from emotionally intelligent machines to a smarter, more human-centered home.

Connect with Colin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/colinangle/

Thoughts? Guest suggestions? Email us at podcast@automate.org.

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Colin Angle on iRobot, Regulation, and the Future of Physical AI

Automated with Brian Heater

Colin Angle on iRobot, Regulation, and the Future of Physical AI