How Fei-Fei Li Is Rebuilding AI for the Real World
0What if the next leap in artificial intelligence isn’t about better language—but better understanding of space?
In this episode, a16z General Partner Erik Torenberg moderates chats with Fei-Fei Li, cofounder and CEO of World Labs, and Martin Casado, a16z General Partner and early investor in the company. Together, they explore the concept of world models—AI systems that understand and reason about the physical, 3D world—not just text.
Fei-Fei, often called the “godmother of AI,” explains why spatial intelligence is a critical (and missing) component of today's AI systems, and why her new company is going all-in on solving this challenge. Martin shares the story of how he and Fei-Fei aligned on this vision long before it was trendy - and why it may define the future of robotics, creativity, and computation itself.
From the limitations of LLMs to the promise of embodied AI, from personal anecdotes to deep technical insights, this is a discussion on what it truly means to build intelligence for the real (and virtual) world.
Timecodes:
00:00 Spatial Intelligence
00:39 Fei-Fei Li’s Background
01:17 Building a World Model
05:14 Reflecting on AI's Evolution
08:07 The Importance of 3D Understanding
10:20 Unrolling Evolution: Why 3D Intelligence Is Harder Than Language
12:19 From Single Reality to Infinite Virtual Universes
16:52 3D vs 2D: Why 2D Isn’t Enough for Machines
17:57 Fei-Fei’s Personal Story of Losing Stereo Vision
19:24 Research and Development at World Labs
Resources:
Find Fei-Fei on X: https://x.com/drfeifei
Find Martin on X: https://x.com/martin_casado
Learn more about World Labs: https://www.worldlabs.ai/
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