#64 - Dinakar Mungala, Co-Founder & CEO at Blaize

Join us on this week's episode of the Slice of Technology AI podcast, hosted by Jared S. Taylor!

Our Guest: Dinakar Mungala, Co-Founder & CEO at Blaize.

What you’ll get out of this episode:

Defining Physical AI: AI outside the data center, solving real-world problems in cities, manufacturing, and defense.
Blaize’s Edge AI Advantage: Purpose-built chips with low power, latency, and an intuitive AI Studio platform.
Industry Applications: AI driving efficiencies in automotive, smart cities, defense, and airport logistics.
Massive Market Shift: Physical AI is the next computing platform evolution, not just a trend.
Action for Innovators: Now is the time for builders to experiment and lead in the physical AI revolution.

The Shift from Cloud to the Real World

In a compelling conversation with Jared S. Taylor, Dinakar Munagala, Co-Founder and CEO of Blaize, defines a new frontier in AI—Physical AI. Unlike data center AI which powers platforms like ChatGPT and Google's services, Physical AI brings intelligence into real-world settings: urban streets, manufacturing floors, agricultural fields, and beyond. Blaize is on a mission to tap into this largely untapped data source, which Dinakar estimates to be a million times larger than that found in cloud environments.

Why Physical AI Is Booming

Three pivotal shifts have made physical AI feasible:

Increased Data Availability in real-world environments.
Improved AI Models, now small enough to run on edge devices.
Cost-effective Compute Power, with Blaize pioneering edge-specific architectures.

The physical world demands low-power, low-latency, easy-to-deploy AI—features Blaize delivers through its Graph Streaming Processor and AI Studio, a code-free software platform that enables adoption without deep AI expertise.

Real-World Impact Across Industries

Blaize’s innovation isn't theoretical—it’s already reshaping industries:

Automotive: From battery management to self-driving subscriptions, Blaize powers next-gen features in vehicles preparing for 2028 and beyond.
Smart Cities: AI-enabled cameras are being used not just for safety but also to generate revenue (e.g., traffic fines) and conserve energy through smart lighting.
Defense: Real-time processing of multi-modal sensor data helps command centers act swiftly and decisively in high-stakes environments.
Airports: Reducing mishandled baggage through AI-driven logistics creates immediate ROI—something Blaize calls “proof of value.”

A Platform Shift, Not Just a Chapter

Dinakar draws parallels between this moment in AI and the shift from mainframes to PCs. As AI models shrink and hardware like Blaize becomes more accessible, the edge becomes the new frontier of computing. For companies and governments alike, failing to adopt means falling behind.

The Call to Action

For startups, developers, and curious minds, Dinakar's advice is clear: “Experiment now.” The tools, models, and platforms are ready. This is a moment of unprecedented opportunity—one that won't wait.