TechCrunch Disrupt 2026 is introducing a new Real World AI Stage alongside the existing AI Stage, reflecting the rapid expansion of AI into physical systems.

The new stage will focus on the intersection of digital and physical worlds, covering autonomous hardware beyond self-driving cars, including applications in public spaces, battlefields, homes, and de-extinction efforts.

Scheduled for October 13–15 at Moscone West in San Francisco, the stage features speakers from Shield AI, Colossal Biosciences, FieldAI, Foxglove, and others.

Announced sessions include: “Building AI Systems When Failure Is Not an Option” with Nate Michael (CTO, Shield AI) on safety, validation, and trust in high-stakes autonomous systems; “Can We Engineer Nature’s Comeback?

” with Ben Lamm (CEO, Colossal Biosciences) on de-extinction technology and AI’s role in biology; “Operating at the Edge: How AI Works When the Cloud Doesn’t” with leaders from FieldAI, Medra, and Eclipse Ventures on building AI for edge environments with latency, connectivity, and failure constraints; and “From Prototype to Production: Can it scale in reality?

” with CEOs from MBRYONICS, Bedrock Robotics, and Foxglove on crossing the gap from prototype to scaled manufacturing.

Other stages include the Disrupt Stage, AI Stage, Smart Money Stage, Smart Systems Stage, and Builders Stage. The event expects 10,000+ attendees.