How to ship hardware in the AI era | Caitlin Kalinowski (Apple, Meta, OpenAI)

The shift toward physical AI and robotics marks the next frontier in technological advancement as digital AI capabilities begin to saturate. Hardware development requires a fundamentally different, more conservative approach than software, as physical products cannot be updated iteratively once released. Success in this field demands rigorous supply chain management, particularly regarding critical components like actuators and memory, and a focus on vertical integration to mitigate geopolitical risks. Caitlin Kalinowski, a veteran hardware leader who contributed to the MacBook Air and Meta’s AR/VR projects, emphasizes that building reliable hardware at scale necessitates early identification of technical bottlenecks, extreme attention to user-facing components, and a willingness to prioritize long-term goals over short-term iteration. Reindustrializing domestic manufacturing capacity is essential for both economic independence and national security in an era where autonomous systems are rapidly transforming military and industrial landscapes.