Task force driving innovation, research, and market leadership at the intersection of AI and robotics, autonomous mobility, and smart manufacturing
San José, CA (April 15, 2026) — The Silicon Valley Leadership Group (SVLG) – the leading business association representing the innovation economy and its ecosystem – today announced its Physical AI Task Force, a cross-sector initiative housed under SVLG’s Center of Expertise on Tech & Innovation.
The task force brings together industry pioneers to ensure that California remains the global epicenter of physical innovation as AI transitions from the cloud to embodied systems, including robotics, autonomous mobility, and smart manufacturing.
Uniquely positioned to lead this full-stack coalition, SVLG is leveraging direct member engagement to facilitate the research, market leadership, and high-level stakeholder convenings necessary to align technical acceleration with policy comprehension and enterprise adoption – all with an eye towards ensuring California’s continued dominance in the global AI race.
“This is a defining moment for California’s innovation leadership,” said SVLG CEO Ahmad Thomas. “Physical AI represents an enormous transformation for businesses in Silicon Valley and across the Golden State. By bringing industry and policymakers together early, SVLG’s Physical AI Task Force is building a framework for innovation that balances competitiveness, workforce readiness, and thoughtful public-private partnerships.”
“We’re witnessing AI’s most consequential evolution yet: from systems that think and talk, to systems that move, build, and transform the physical world around us. That’s the frontier this Task Force is designed to navigate,” said Ziyang Fan, SVP of Technology & Innovation and Executive Director of the Institute for California AI Policy at SVLG, whose Center of Expertise on Tech & Innovation is leading this Task Force.
The Task Force is chaired by Yaad Oren, SVP – Global Head of Research & Innovation and Managing Director of SAP Labs U.S., who will help guide the group’s work across its core pillars.
“Physical AI is helping enterprises unlock transformative potential in productivity, safety, and operational resilience,” said Oren. “By investing in robotics and embodied AI, organizations can enhance human work, open new opportunities, and deliver long‑term economic value. SVLG’s Physical AI Task Force is creating a collaborative environment where businesses can adopt these technologies thoughtfully and translate innovation into shared growth.”
The initiative is driving impact and supporting market development through several core focus areas, including:
- The Silicon Valley Physical AI Framework: An actionable cross-industry roadmap for emerging technologies.
- High-Impact Stakeholder Roundtables: Convenings designed to break down silos, focusing on deployment standards, shared governance, and implementation hurdles.
- Public-Private Partnerships: Advancing cross-sector collaboration between industry and policymakers to develop shared frameworks, scale best practices, and coordinate approaches to deployment challenges.
- Commercialization and Deployment: Shaping emerging markets for physical AI through real-world testing, pilot projects, and validation environments that accelerate market-readiness and scale.
- Proactive Strategic Advocacy: Providing industry expertise early in Sacramento to ensure policymakers understand physical AI capabilities, helping to shape more forward-looking policy frameworks.
The initiative is a part of SVLG’s Future Forward Agenda, a multi-year effort to strengthen regional innovation, shape smart policy, and drive long-term economic growth across the Bay Area and the Golden State.
About the Silicon Valley Leadership Group:
The Silicon Valley Leadership Group (SVLG) is the leading business association representing the innovation economy and its ecosystem. Founded by David Packard of Hewlett-Packard, SVLG has worked for nearly five decades to address issues that affect the region’s economic dynamism and quality of life. Today, SVLG is focused on accelerating the next era of Silicon Valley leadership, activated by our Institute for California AI Policy (ICAP) and three new Centers of Expertise (COE): Technology & Innovation, Business Competitiveness, and Civic Impact. SVLG members collectively provide nearly one in every three private-sector jobs in Silicon Valley and contribute trillions to the global economy. For more information, visit svlg.org.
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