local
Top developers are pivoting from chatbots to physical AI
By Matt O'Brien, Associated Press at KPRC 2 / Click2Houston (NBC)
· June 23, 2026
· 5 min read
Computer scientist Louis Castricato was in his eighth year studying large language models — the artificial intelligence technology behind chatbots like ChatGPT and Claude — when he started to feel like he was hitting a dead end.“We basically have passed the point of doing real fundamental LLM res...
Key takeaway “We basically have passed the point of doing real fundamental LLM research," Castricato said.
Why this matters in Tomball News
The shift from chatbots to physical AI has significant implications for the Houston area, where major players in the tech industry have a presence. As top developers like Anthropic and OpenAI continue to receive substantial investments, it's likely that some of this funding will trickle down to local startups and research institutions in Harris County. The concept of "world models" could also have practical applications in industries that are prominent in the region, such as energy and healthcare. For instance, AI systems that can navigate and understand physical environments could be used to improve safety protocols in oil refineries or enhance patient care in hospitals. As researchers like Fei-Fei Li and Yann LeCun push the boundaries of world model research, it will be interesting to see how their work is applied in real-world settings, potentially creating new opportunities for innovation and job growth in the Tomball area.
About this story
Original reporting by KPRC 2 / Click2Houston (NBC) . Tomball News surfaces reporting from trusted publishers and adds local editorial context so readers can quickly understand what a story means for their community. We attribute every source, link to the original report, and follow a documented editorial standards policy. To understand how stories are selected and reviewed, read our about page .
For the complete original report, visit KPRC 2 / Click2Houston (NBC) . Have a tip or correction? Contact our newsroom .
Category: local ·
Published: June 23, 2026 ·
Source: KPRC 2 / Click2Houston (NBC) ·
Reading time: 5 min
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Frequently asked about this story
What is this story about? Computer scientist Louis Castricato was in his eighth year studying large language models — the artificial intelligence technology behind chatbots like ChatGPT and Claude — when he started to feel like he was hitting a dead end.“We basically have passed the point of doing real fundamental LLM res...
When was this published? This article was first published on June 23, 2026 by KPRC 2 / Click2Houston (NBC) and curated for Tomball News readers.
Who reported this story? This story was reported by Matt O'Brien, Associated Press at KPRC 2 / Click2Houston (NBC). To learn more about how Tomball News selects and reviews stories, see our editorial standards .
Where can I find related coverage? See more local coverage from Tomball News, or browse our daily briefing and topic hubs .
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